PM Modi Drives Rapid Infra Completion With PRAGATI Study By Oxford And Gates Foundation

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A study by Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and the Gates Foundation highlights how India's digital governance platform, PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation), has transformed the country's infrastructure development landscape. The study noted the platform, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has driven accountability, facilitated federal and regional collaboration, and accelerated the completion of long-delayed projects, worth a staggering $205 billion.

PRAGATI has proven instrumental in overcoming decades-long delays in over 340 infrastructure projects across India. The study, titled From Gridlock to Growth: How Leadership Enables India's PRAGATI Ecosystem to Power Progress, notes that many of these projects were delayed for up to 20 years. Some projects had already completed physical work but were stalled at the final stages, while others had seen no construction progress.

PRAGATI features a digital dashboard for real-time project monitoring and facilitates video-conference review meetings chaired by PM Modi . These reviews have helped streamline decision-making, cut red tape, and ensure that projects are completed swiftly, the news study has found. The platform's success has significantly reduced project delays, cutting timelines from decades to mere months, it said.

A notable aspect of PRAGATI is the direct involvement of India's top leadership in monitoring infrastructure projects. PM Modi 's personal accountability and regular oversight have provided an essential layer of governance, ensuring that projects are not left to languish due to bureaucracy or lack of political will, the study found. The platform has facilitated unprecedented levels of cooperation between central and state authorities, ensuring that both levels of government work together to overcome obstacles and expedite projects, it added.

According to Soumitra Dutta, Peter Moores Dean and Professor of Management at Oxford Saïd, PRAGATI offers a unique opportunity for developing countries to revolutionize their infrastructure development approaches. He stated, "Building on PRAGATI's experiences, other developing countries have a valuable opportunity also to revolutionize their approach to infrastructure development." Dutta emphasized that PRAGATI's success lies in its ability to foster collaboration across various stakeholders and to leverage technology for real-time monitoring and accountability.

Professor Dutta underscored the importance of top leadership in using technology to foster cross-collaboration and maintain regular reviews of infrastructure projects. "PRAGATI shows us it is essential for nations to cultivate an environment where top leadership is using technology to drive cross-collaboration and regular accountability reviews," he explained.

The findings were unveiled today at a symposium organized by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bengaluru, which brought together experts from academia, government, and the private sector to discuss the transformative potential of digital governance in infrastructure development.

Several key infrastructure projects have benefited from PRAGATI's intervention, including:

The Chenab Bridge (Jammu and Kashmir): Once stalled for a decade, this bridge is now the world's highest rail bridge . It is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link, which connects Kashmir with the rest of India by rail. The PRAGATI platform's review, the snew study said, helped fast-track the bridge's construction, ensuring that it became a vital socio-political and economic link.

The Bogibeel Bridge (Assam): This crucial bridge over the Brahmaputra River faced over a decade of delays before being included in PRAGATI's review process in 2015. The intervention prompted regular site visits and cooperation between central and state ministries, enabling the bridge's completion in 2018, greatly improving connectivity for the Dhemaji region.

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