For post-pandemic recovery to gain momentum, the upcoming Budget must frontload infrastructure investments

With inflation trending upwards, unemployment on the rise, demand lagging in some sectors, and the threat of the Omicron variant on the rise across the world, we analyze the various trends that would impact the direction, the government would have to take with the upcoming budget.

Infrastructure sector is a key driver for the Indian economy. The sector is highly responsible for propelling India's overall development and enjoys intense focus from Government for initiating policies that would ensure time-bound creation of world class infrastructure in the country. Infrastructure sector includes power, bridges, dams, roads, and urban infrastructure development.

Over the past seven years, infrastructure in India has expanded at rapid pace significantly bringing change in the lives of citizens and boosting the local economy. While the infrastructure construction record of MODI government has been undisputed, the government shall have to ensure this year too budget gives impetus to this pace of infrastructure development in the country.

While there have been some signs of economy coming back on growth trajectory, it should be emphasized that as the threat of a third Covid wave looms large, the economic recovery remains fragile. Therefore, in ascertaining that any recovery gains momentum, the upcoming Budget must frontload infrastructure investments.

This is particularly needed because the states contribute almost 40% of the total infrastructure investments in India. But due to pandemic-related disruptions, the states have high fiscal deficits and are hit with liquidity issues. Therefore, the Centre needs to shoulder more of the burden of raising funds to drive infrastructure investments and projects. But the infrastructure sector should be sanctioned on priority in the Budget because any delay will impact the possibility of a faster economic revival.

Industry associations have already recommended that public investments in agri-infrastructure be increased while healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP should be raised to 20 per cent for building hospitals, training institutions and suchlike across India.

Given the Centre's focus on its Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, infrastructure development can be vital in moving steadily towards achieving these goals. The Centre will be better placed in raising funding investments for the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). Projects worth Rs 44 lakh crore are already being implemented as part of the Rs 111 lakh crore NIP, with the latter amount slated to be spent by 2024-25.

Meanwhile, projects worth Rs 22 lakh crore (or 20 per cent of NIP) are under development stages. But proper and timely implementation is indispensable if ambitious objectives are to be met. The NIP framework currently comprises 39% investment by the Centre, 40 per cent by states and 21 per cent from the private sector. Considering the present market conditions, any shortfall from either of the other partners may require that the Centre fill the deficit for NIP goals to remain on track.

Significantly, under NIP, among others, Rs 25 lakh crore has been allocated for the energy industry, Rs 20 lakh crore for highways, Rs 16 lakh crore for irrigation, rural agriculture and food processing, Rs 16 lakh crore each for Railways and mobility, respectively, and Rs 14 lakh crore on digital infrastructure.

Given the Government's thrust on infrastructure spending to revive the economy, the FY2023 budgetary outlay remains crucial to complete the Government's ambitious Bharatmala and allied programmes in a timely manner. Budget is excepted proposedincrease capital outlay by 25-30 per cent. With an increase in the budgetary allocation the pace of asset monetisation is expected to get momentum. Markets are also expecting a clear funding roadmap for the ambitious NIP and asset monetisation pipeline for NMP is spelled out in budget. The availability of long-term infrastructure financing continues a challenge, given the problems faced by commercial banks of asset-liability mismatch and high share of stressed assets.

It is estimated that weak infrastructure imposes a huge cost on business to the tune of 3-4 per cent annually. That means, an infrastructure thrust directly boosts GDP growth by around 3-4 per cent. That is because infrastructure investment has a huge multiplier effect downstream. Finally, The infrastructure sector expects Budget 2022-23 continues government's focus on Infrastructure and as suggested by Rakesh Mohan committee addresses Sustaining spending on physical infrastructure, Monetize income-earning infrastructure assets, Develops robust and dynamic debt market for infrastructure funding and Special incentives for use of modern technology. This shall almost guarantee growth that finance ministers expects this year.

(The writer is an independent expert &commentator on infrastructure and economy. The views expressed are personal.)