RAS question
The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for FY2020-2025 had a projected total investment of approximately:
Correct answer: (C) ₹111 lakh crore.
The National Infrastructure Pipeline for FY 2020-25 projected total infrastructure investment of Rs 111 lakh crore.
Explanation
The National Infrastructure Pipeline figure asked here is Rs 111 lakh crore, not the earlier broad political commitment of Rs 100 lakh crore. The PIB release says the Final Report of the NIP Task Force projected total infrastructure investment of Rs 111 lakh crore during FY 2020-25 after additional and amended data came in from Central Ministries and State Governments. That report treated NIP as a whole-of-government exercise to improve project preparation and attract infrastructure investment. Energy, roads, urban infrastructure and railways formed the major share of projected investment, with Centre, States and the private sector expected to finance implementation.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Rs 75 lakh crore understates the NIP estimate because the final task-force projection for FY 2020-25 was Rs 111 lakh crore.
- (B) Rs 200 lakh crore overstates the NIP figure; the FY 2020-25 projection was not anywhere near that amount.
- (D) Rs 50 lakh crore is far below the final NIP projection and misses the scale of the FY 2020-25 infrastructure pipeline.
Concept
This tests infrastructure financing and public investment planning under Indian Economy. It recurs in RAS because NIP links budget policy, Centre-State roles, private investment and sectoral infrastructure priorities.