Infra Panel to Suggest Steps for More Foreign Funds, PPP

Second part of Debroy panel report soon; Union budget takes cues from panel's views

- Rhik Kundu & Subhash Narayan

A top government panel tasked to explore ways to raise investment in infrastructure has finalized a slew of recommendations, two people aware of the matter said. The measures propose to attract foreign funds, promote corporate bond finance, build niche funds, and create a new pipeline of public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

In 2023, the finance ministry formed the committee led by the late economist Bibek Debroy to assess infrastructure parameters and develop a financing framework. The panel conducted extensive stakeholder consultations before finalizing its recommendations, one of the two people cited above said, on the condition of anonymity.

The committee has already submitted the first part of its report, and the second part is due to be submitted shortly. While the first part suggested new definitions and expanded the list of activities qualifying as infrastructure, the second part will craft a framework for public and private infrastructure financing. Some of the committee's views have already found their way into the Union budget for FY26, presented in the parliament on 1 February.