Centre has not yet received even a single Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) proposal for building National Highways during the past four years, said Union Minister for Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari here on Thursday.
He, however, said that a dozen NHAI projects have been funded by foreign development Banks including the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and Asian Development Bank.
While the World Bank is funding two projects for Rs 5,800 crore, the Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding the highest 7 NHAI projects to the tune of Rs 10,983 crore. The Asian Development Bank is funding three projects to the tune of Rs 4231 crore, the Minister said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
All the funding is provided to NHAI through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from foreign development banks mainly World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) & Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Minister said.
The Road and Transport Ministry has also taken several initiatives to promote the use of modern technologies in the construction of National Highways including the use of waste material, or by-products like fly-ash, slag, modified bitumen, waste plastic, recycled aggregates for building roads. It is also using various innovative processes like recycling, cement treated sub-base, and soil stabilization for building long-lasting roads.
It has also set up an Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE), Noida to augment the skills of practising Highway Engineers in the country. There are also other Training Institutes in the public and private sector imparting training to highway engineers.
Highway Engineers are also deputed for training abroad under various International Cooperation Schemes for the latest technical know-how in this sector, the Minister stated.