Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure

The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI), is a 12-member committee under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, was constituted on July 6, 2009. It substituted the Committee on Infrastructure which was set up on 31st August, 2004 under the chairmanship of Prime Minister. CCI is one of the new Standing Committee of the Cabinet for focussed and speedy decisions for infrastructure. Prior to setting up of the CCI, infrastructure development was conventionally, and by implication included in the general mandate of CCEA/ Cabinet. CCI considers and takes decisions in respect of all infrastructure related proposals costing more than specified levels (Rs. 3 Billion at present) specifically those concerning Energy, Railways, Roads, and National Highways, Ports, Airports, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Irrigation, Housing and Urban Development with particular emphasis on rural housing and augmentation of facilities in urban slums. The constitution of the high powered Committee comes in the wake of Government’s focus on infrastructure which has been identified as a key priority area. The Committee will fast track the implementation of the infrastructure sector projects and monitor the performance keeping in mind the mandate of the Government.

The functions of the CCI will be to consider and take decisions in respect of all infrastructure related proposals costing over Rs150 crore specifically those concerning energy, railways, roads and national highways, ports, airports, telecommunications, information technology, irrigation, housing and urban development with particular emphasis on rural housing and urban slum clearance.

It considers and decides measures such fiscal, financial, institutional and legal required to enhance investment in the sector, including grant of requisite approvals to facilitate private sector investment in specific projects and laying down annual parameters and targets for performance of all infrastructure sectors and review the progress of the projects.

• The members of the committee were Pranab Mukherjee (finance minister), Sharad Pawar (agriculture minister), Mamata Banerjee (railways minister), Sushil Kumar Shinde (power minister), Farooq Abdullah (energy minister), Jaipal Reddy (urban development minister), Kamal Nath (road, transport and highways minister) and A. Raja (IT and communications minister).
  

The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) has approved 24 ongoing and fresh projects in Delhi at an estimated cost of Rs 5,033.91 crore under the JNNURM scheme.

While such projects are approved by the Ministry of Urban Development, the CCI had to step in for this case given the urgency on account of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The government had to be given procedural exemptions as the Delhi government is not a land-owning agency in the Capital.

The CCI both lays down parameters and targets for performance for all infrastructural sectors and reviews the progress of infrastructural projects. CCI considers cases of increase in the firmed up cost estimates/revised cost estimates for projects etc. in respect of the business allocated to CCI as well.