InfrastructuraL growth is now at fuLL swing in the state of gujarat

Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board has the unique and challenging responsibility of putting Gujarat on the international map by way of proactive initiatives and bringing private sector participation into the state.

The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) was set up in 1995 to facilitate higher flow of funds into the infrastructure sector and to ensure coordination among various government agencies. Today, GIDB has the unique and challenging responsibility of putting Gujarat on the international map by way of proactive initiatives and bringing private sector participation into the state. GIDB is a unique organisation of its type and acts as an over-arching body for infrastructure development in Gujarat, encompassing both the hard as well as the soft infrastructure sectors. GIDB itself does not develop infrastructure services, but acts as a catalyst for their development.

Gujarat believes that development of infrastructure is pivotal to industrial and economic growth. To facilitate the development of infrastructure, there is an elaborate legal and organisational framework. This arrangement is symbolised by the GIDB. It was established under the Gujarat Infra- structure Development Act, 1999 which was amended in 2006. This gives a legal framework and roadmap for PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Model. The Chief Minister of the state is the chairman of the GIDB and all Cabinet level ministers dealing with infrastructure and economic issues are its board members. The GIDB focuses on: Overall planning. Coordination between various sector specific departments.

Recommendation of Concession Agreements which detail the risk allocation in a public private partnership.

Project preparation by conducting pre-feasibility and feasibility studies through reputed consultants.

Selection of developers through international competitive bidding and Challenge Route.

Monitoring progress of projects.

Building capacity of human resources and organisations in infrastructure sectors compatible with international benchmarks.

In 2007, GIDB was designated as a Nodal Agency for DMIC (Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor) projects which functions as a coordinating body for DMIC projects in the state. In 2009, it was designated as an Apex Authority under Gujarat Special Investment Region Act-2009. The Act empowers GIDB to function as a regulatory body for SIRs (Special Investment Regions) in the state. The state administration has been geared up for the development of the DMIC and is working closely with the Central government.

GIDB has been identified as the nodal agency by the government of Gujarat for working closely with the Central government for all work pertaining to the DMIC. GIDB has initiated work on the following lines under the guidance of the GoG. The state initiatives are as under:

It has been decided to develop three investment regions in the first phase — Dholera SIR, Dahej PCPIR and Mandal-Becharaji SIR. However, seven SIRs have been notified. The four notified besides the above three are Navlakhi, Aliyabet , Santalpur and Halol-Savli.

A master plan has been submitted by GIDB to DIPPGoI, Delhi, for development of infrastructure in the state during first phase work on DMIC. This includes construction or upgradation of about 22 different roads of six and four-laning linking DMIC, covering a length of about 2,000 km. It also includes strengthening of rail infrastructure in the form of doubling rail lines, broadening or providing fresh lines of about 1,900 km. It also envisages Metro Rail and International Airport and several logistics parks.

The state has also identified GIDB as the apex body for this work, more or less on similar lines of the GoI. The same has been through the statute — the Special Investment Region (SIR) Act.

An organic structure in the form of an SPV at the state level for execution of DMIC projects, preferably with the private sector. Major equity stake is also constituted to smoothen the execution process.

Feasibility studies especially for the AmdavadDholera SIR and logistics parks have been assigned to the approved consultants which are at the completion stage.

The project will thus have enormous potential for development in terms of industrial growth as also increased employment opportunities as it will attract about $ 30 mllion of investments during the currency of the project which is about one third of the total investments envisaged for the country on DMIC. The GIDB, designated as an apex authority under the Gujarat SIR Act, 2009, is headed by the Chief Minister. The objective of enactment of the SIR Act is to provide for establishment, operation, regulation and management of large size Investment Regions and Industrial Areas in the Gujarat and to specially enable their development as Global Hubs of Economic Activity supported by world class infrastructure, premium civic amenities, centre of excellence and pro-active policy framework.

The powers and functions of the apex authority under the SIR Act include: (1) To ap- prove Land Use Plan, Town Planning Schemes and development Plan of the SIR proposed by the Regional development Authorities (RDAs). (2) To make regulations for Development, Operation, Regulation and Management of SIRs within the state and development of infrastructure within the SIRs. (3) To monitor the development of Special Investment Regions and issue necessary instructions to the Agencies involved. (4) To ascertain and fix the rates and approve the user charges, proposed by Regional Development Authorities.

The recent key projects taken up for project development by GIDB include:

Development of Regulatory Framework for Islands in Gujarat

Master Plan, Design Guidelines, Development Control Regulations for DREAM City Area, Surat

Detailed Feasibility Study & Concept Master Plan for Bet Dwarka, Aliabet, Siyalbet and Pancham-Bela-Khadir Islands, Gujarat.

Preparation of Gujarat Sustainable Vision 2030.

Master Plan, Development Control Regulations for Knowledge City, Vadodara.