India’s PRAGATI Initiative Provides Global Leaders with a Blueprint for Growth: Findings from Oxford University

New Delhi, Dec 2 (NationPress) The PRAGATI initiative, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, has successfully accelerated the completion of delayed infrastructure projects, providing key insights for international leaders on how a nation can drive its progression, as highlighted by a study from Oxford University.

The report, titled ‘From Gridlock to Growth- How Leadership Enables India’s PRAGATI Ecosystem to Power Progress’, has been co-authored by Soumitra Dutta and Mukul Pandya from Oxford University’s Said Business School.

According to the study, “India’s experience in hastening substantial infrastructure projects may impart lessons for global leaders who aim to transform infrastructure into a catalyst for economic advancement.”

In his remarks regarding the report, World Bank chief economist Ds Indermit Gill stated, “At this critical point in global economic history, countries worldwide are navigating the intricate landscape of development with the goal of overcoming the so-called ‘Middle-Income Trap’.”

This phenomenon, where nations that experience rapid growth eventually stagnate and find it challenging to transition into high-income economies, has emerged as a significant hurdle, as referenced in the World Development Report 2024, ‘The Middle-Income Trap’.

“The way forward necessitates strong economic strategies and innovative governance and infrastructure frameworks that can maintain growth and promote inclusive development. India’s PRAGATI initiative presents a compelling case study on how digital governance can facilitate such advancement,” he remarked.

The Oxford University report highlights that while addressing some of India’s most daunting infrastructure and social development challenges, by the end of June 2023, PRAGATI had assessed 340 projects valued at ₹17.05 lakh crore (approximately $205 billion), alleviating bureaucratic gridlocks, resolving delays, and encouraging cooperative federalism.

The 54-page report is divided into 7 chapters, underscoring how PM Modi and his team implemented a system aimed at enhancing governance and administration, particularly for major projects.

Additionally, the report accentuates PRAGATI’s wider economic implications. Research conducted by the Reserve Bank of India and the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy estimates that every rupee invested in infrastructure generates a GDP return of 2.5 to 3.5 rupees.

By streamlining projects, PRAGATI has reduced cost overruns and ensured that economic advantages are realized more swiftly. Enhanced connectivity through roads, railways, and airports has broadened access to education, employment, and healthcare for millions.

This case study examines the essential elements that have made PRAGATI a vital component of India’s infrastructure evolution.

“PRAGATI is what it is today due to decisive and proactive leadership, especially from PM Modi. Such high-level engagement, with a consistent monthly rhythm, has established the tone, ignited solutions, and fostered a collective sense of teamwork,” the report notes.

By creating a platform for real-time problem-solving, PRAGATI ensures that projects are not hindered by lengthy legal disputes and inter-ministerial conflicts. Sometimes, the scrutiny from PRAGATI is so effective that disputes and issues are settled prior to the Prime Minister’s actual review meeting, as the report highlights.

As per the report, PRAGATI is part of a developing ecosystem for digital governance concerning infrastructure and social development projects. Its digital tools complement those of PM Gati Shakti, a centralized project planning portal; PATIVESH, which enhances transparency, equity, and automation in the environmental clearance process; and a detailed tracking system for all significant infrastructure projects in India.

PRAGATI’s emphasis on key nationwide social sector initiatives has advanced India’s objectives of providing essential services to all citizens, promoting inclusivity for remote areas to enhance their quality of life, and making the government more responsive to the populace, it added.

With infrastructure and social development initiatives often requiring collaboration between multiple states and central ministries, PRAGATI acts as a unifying force, facilitating cooperation across various sectors.

A platform for a national vision and purpose, PRAGATI has also contributed to revitalizing India’s previously opaque and sluggish bureaucracy, as stated in the report.

The study further delves into PRAGATI in action by examining eight of the 340 total infrastructure projects across the nation. This includes four railway projects: the Bogibeel Rail and Road Bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Assam; the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link in J&K; the Bengaluru Metro Rail Project in Karnataka; and the Haridaspur-Paradeep Rail Connection to Paradip Port in Odisha.

Additionally, two road projects: the Dahisar-Surat stretch of National Highway 8 in Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as the Varanasi-Aurangabad stretch of National Highway 2 linking UP to Bihar.

Finally: the North Karanpura Thermal Power Plant in Jharkhand and the Navi Mumbai Airport in Maharashtra.

These eight projects encapsulate the vast impact of PRAGATI across India’s extensive landscape. The projects span a wide geographical region, from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Karnataka in the south, covering a diverse range of social, cultural, and environmental contexts. This diversity underscores PRAGATI’s effectiveness in addressing the unique challenges and needs of various regions, as the report concludes.