India’s infra sector offers huge investment opportunities: FM

23 Sep 2011 Evaluate

The finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that the country offers huge scope for US firms to participate in its $1 trillion infrastructure development plan.

At the USIBC-FICCI event, attended by major corporate from US and India, finance minister said, we expect 50% of this investment to come from the private sector. These developments will create major opportunities for both domestic as well as foreign companies.

The Indian government, in the 12th five year plan, is aiming to invest around $1 trillion in infrastructure development in the country. On the other hand, government had taken number of steps to increase the foreign investment into the infrastructure sector. While relaxing the norms for foreign investor to invest in the Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDF), it has also increased the limit for FII’s investment in the IDFs.

Repeating the government’s commitment for the policy reforms, finance minister said that his government was working towards building a consensus on a number of pending policy issues, like introduction of Goods and Services Tax, National Manufacturing Policy, liberalisation of FDI policy, including in retail and strengthening financial markets.

The finance minister said 'Long-term investment opportunities have opened up in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai dedicated rail freight corridor'. Both the projects cover around 9 mega industrial zones, each covering 200-250 sq km and 3 ports and 6 airports are envisaged.

By adding further he said better infrastructure development in new townships is the focus of the investment now and would be for sometime. With reference to the McKinsey report, finance minister said that by 2030, 65 cities will have a population of more than 1 million. Cities would require a capital expenditure of $1.2 trillion, this opens up huge opportunities for investment for foreign investors and capital equipment manufacturers.

Acknowledging the importance of capital market’s development, he said the government is aware that the development of domestic long-term capital markets is critical for private investment in infrastructure and has taken several measures in this context, including establishing Infrastructure Debt Fund.
 
On the issue of reform in education sector, finance minister said as India moves ahead with the educational reforms envisaging expansion and upgradation of educational reforms, 'US universities can actively engage in India'.

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