Somanathan: No Land Policy Change Despite Delays; PRAGATI Resolves Mega Project Hurdles

• Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan stated no plans to change land acquisition policy, despite it being a major impediment to infrastructure projects.
• The PRAGATI mechanism, chaired by PM Modi, has resolved 7,156 out of 7,735 issues across 3,300 projects worth Rs 85 lakh crore.
• Land acquisition accounts for 35% of resolved issues, followed by forest/environment (20%) and right of use/way (18%).
• PRAGATI reviews projects above Rs 500 crore, with 382 projects reviewed by the PM, resolving 2,958 issues.
• The Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link and New Delhi-Mumbai expressway were among complex projects resolved by PRAGATI.

Why It Matters: Government relies on PRAGATI to resolve project delays, not policy changes, despite land acquisition challenges.