Budget 2022: Highway Expansion To Ken-Betwa Link Project | Key Takeaways for Road and Infra

The Gati Shakti programme includes the expansion of roads, railways, ports, airports, mass transport, waterways and logistics infrastructure.

Written by: India.com News Desk Edited by: Victor Dasgupta

Updated: February 1, 2022, 8:06 PM IST

Share

Share Article

• Facebook
• WhatsApp
• X
• Email
• Telegram
• Linkedin

https://www.india.com/business/budget-2022-highway-expansion-to-ken-betwa-link-project-key-takeaways-for-road-and-infra-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-nitin-gadkari-5217366/ Copy

Key Takeaways for Road and Infrastructure

Budget 2022: What can be termed as a part of Modi government’s mega investment plan to improve country’s road and connectivity, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while addressing the Union Budget 2022, said that India will witness the highest addition in National Highways in 2022-23. She further added that the government is all set to add 25,000 kilometers as part of the ambitious, a Rs 100 trillion plan for multi-modal connectivity.

Around Rs 20,000 crore will be mobilised through innovative ways of financing to complement the public resources, Sitharaman said. The rise in addition of national highways is compared to 13,327 km of roads constructed in 2020-21 and 10,237 km in 2019-20.

The Gati Shakti programme includes the expansion of roads, railways, ports, airports, mass transport, waterways and logistics infrastructure.

The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced a budget of ₹ 45,000 crores for the interlinking of river Ken and Betwa. The project was approved under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers by the Modi government. The Ken-Betwa interlinking hopes to transfer water from the Ken river to the Betwa river.

The Ken-Betwa Link Canal will be 221 km long, including a 2-km long tunnel. The project is likely to boost irrigation in the region largely prone to water-crisis.  The total cost of the Ken – Betwa link project has been assessed at Rs 44,605 crore price levels.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

1. Use of Kisan drones will be promoted for crop assessment, digitisation of land records, spraying of insecticides and nutrients; states will be encouraged to revise syllabi of agro universities: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
2. Ken-Betwa link at Rs 44,605 crores to be taken up to provide irrigation to 9.05 lakh hectares, 65 lakh people drinking water, hydro and solar power: FM Sitharaman
3. Under PM Gatishakti master plan, the national highway network will be expanded by 25,000 kms in 2022-23; Rs 20,000 crores will be mobilised through innovative ways of financing to complement public resources: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
4. Credit Guaranty Trust for SMEs will be revamped with the required infusion of funds; this will facilitate additional credit of Rs 2 lakh crore for MSEs and expand employment opportunities: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
5. Chemical-free natural farming will be promoted throughout the country with a focus on farmers’ land in 5 km wide corridors along the river Ganga, in the first stage: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
6. The Finance Minister also announced that the Railways will develop new products for farmers and MSMEs. ‘One station-one product’ to help local businesses and supply chains. 400 Vande Bharat trains to be manufactured in next 3 years.
7. This is aimed at providing irrigation benefits to 9.08 lakh hectare of farmers’ lands, drinking water supply for 62lakh people, 103 MW of Hydro, and 27 MW of solar power.
8. Allocations of 4,300 crore in RE 2021-22 and 1,400 crore in 2022-23 have been made forthis project.37.
9. Draft DPRs of five river links, namely Damanganga-Pinjal, Par-TapiNarmada, Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar and Pennar-Cauvery have been 7 finalized.
10. Once a consensus is reached among the beneficiary states, the Centre will provide support for implementation.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama presented the fourth Union Budget of the Modi Government 2.0 following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among others. Like 2021, this year also a Made in India tablet replaced the traditional ‘Bahi Khata’. Sitharaman presented the financial statements and tax proposals for the fiscal year 2022-23 (April 2022 to March 2023).