CCI acquiring powers to overrule `meaningless objections’ to mega projects: Montek

The Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) will soon have powers to overrule "meaningless objections" to mega infrastructure projects allowing fast-track clearance of such projects, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.

He was referring to projects getting delayed by environmental and other issues like people's livelihood and resettlement of project-affected people.

"The UPA government is going to empower the CCI on this front after it has been recommended by cell in CCI on fast-track projects, exceeding investments of Rs1,000 crore," Ahluwalia said at the 'Infrastructure Conclave 2013: Fast Tracking Stalled Projects', organised by PHD Chamber on Wednesday.

CCI, he said, needs to be empowered with an option to overrule ''meaningless objections'' to infrastructure projects by related ministries arising out of petty issues so that stalled projects are cleared in one go.

For this, Ahluwalia said, CCI has to be advised by neutral experts who would equally weigh the pros and cons of mega projects and make fair recommendations.

On the contrary, activists, especially those on environment-related fields, generally tend to insist on stalling projects that are already half way through, he added.

"What India needs today is neutral experts in the area of environment and forests especially and not activists."

Indian industry will be able to get mega projects cleared faster once the government implement the recommendations on empowering the CCI with powers to overrule such objection, he said, adding that this is likely to be realised within the next six months.

Speaking on the occasion, Anil Swarup, additional secretary in the cabinet secretariat who is also in charge of the CCI secretariat, said a total of 40 projects have been cleared worth investment of Rs1,60,000 crore since he took charge four months ago.

"It is still squatting on projects involving investments of Rs12,50,000 crore, which roughly works out to be one-fifth of India's GDP," Swarup said.