Infrastructure

250 million connections by December 2007.

Provision of Rs1,500 crore for Universal Services Obligation (USO) Fund in 2006-07. More than 50 million rural connections to be rolled out in three years.

Five ultra-mega power projects of 4,000 MW each to be awarded before December 31, 2006.

Enabling and empowered framework to carry out reforms.

Empowered committee of CMs and power ministers to be set up.

Rs597 crore for non-conventional energy resources. Tenth Plan target of 3,075 MW of installed capacity for non-conventional energy sources exceeded by December 31, 2005 with installation of 3,650 MW capacity.

Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana: 10,000 villages in 2005-06 and 40,000 more villages in 2006-07 to be electrified.

Reserves of 20 billion tonnes to be de-blocked for power projects.

Definition of captive consumption will be amended to allow mining by producers with firm supply contracts with steel, cement and power companies.

Capacity of Central Mines Planning and Development Institute to drill in order to prove reserves, to be expanded.

Under NELP VI, 55 blocks (an area of 355,000 sq km) offered.

Investment of Rs22,000 crore expected in the refinery sector, in the next few years.

Budget support for NHDP enhanced from Rs9,320 crore to Rs9,945 crore in 2006-07.

Rs4,618-crore accelerated road development programme for the North East. Allocation of Rs550 crore in 2006-07.

1,000 km of access-controlled expressways to be developed on the design, build, finance and operate (DBFO) model.

India Infrastructure Finance Company incorporated. Approval in principle granted for three road projects in Gujarat.

National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP) approved.

Work in progress on 101 projects covering inland waterways, shipping and ports, including deepening of channels in Kandla, JNPT and Paradip.

Plan allocation for Department of Shipping increased by 37 per cent to Rs735 crore.

New deep draft port in West Bengal: Study to identify a suitable location to be carried out.

National Institute of Port Management, Chennai, renamed National Maritime Academy, upgraded to central university with regional campuses at Mumbai, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.