Private players to modernise 400 rly stations

Stressing that railways have raised money through issuance of bonds, he said, they also intend to mobilise international investment. “The railways has now come on to directionally the right track. We are inviting the private sector including foreign investment into infrastructure. Very shortly, the railways is going to come up with its proposed bids for development of 400 railway stations in the country,” he said. 

Addressing the foundation day of India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFCL), Jaitley said the government has set up the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and is in touch with global sovereign and pension funds to become partners. 

Managing Smaller airports 

The proposal for allowing management participation of the private sector in some mid-sized and smaller airports is aimed at improving their managerial efficiency, he said. 

“They probably need managerial efficiency and therefore management participation of the private sector in some of these airports is a proposal, which they have been considering. I think the government is very clear with regard to the direction in which it wants to move,” he said. 

Jaitley said his ministry is in touch with a large number of international sovereign and pension funds to become partners in NIIF for funding infrastructure projects. “We should be able to show much more positive result as far as Indian economy is concerned making it a stable force, which we have become even in the midst of a crisis like situation across the world,” he said.