4th Tranche announced by Finance Minister under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan to support Indian economy in fight against COVID-19

4th Tranche announced by Finance Minister under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan to support Indian economy in fight against COVID-19

Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman has announced 04th Tranche of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan to support Indian Economy in the situation to fight against Corona Virus Pandemic (COVID-19). In this session, Finance Minister attention has been given to the private sector as well as the space program. For more details of this tranche, read below:

Policy Reforms to fast-track Investment – Effort towards AtmanirbharBharat

• Fast track Investment Clearance through Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS).

• Project Development Cell in each Ministry to prepare investible projects, coordinate with investors and Central/ State Governments

• Ranking of States on Investment Attractiveness to compete for new investments

• Incentive schemes for Promotion of New Champion Sectors will be launched in sectors such as Solar PV manufacturing; Advanced cell battery storage; etc.

Upgradation of Industrial Infrastructure

• Scheme will be implemented in States through Challenge mode for Industrial Cluster Upgradation of common infrastructure facilities and connectivity.

• Availability of Industrial Land/ Land Bank for promoting new investments and making information available on Industrial Information System (IIS) with GIS mapping.

• 3376 industrial parks/estates/SEZs in 5 lakh hectares mapped on Industrial Information System (IIS)

• All industrial parks will be ranked in 2020-21

Policy Reforms – Introduction of Commercial Mining in Coal Sector

Need to reduce import of substitutable coal and increase Self-reliance in coal production. Government will introduce competition, transparency and private sector participation in the Coal Sector through :

• Revenue sharing mechanism instead of regime of fixed Rupee/tonne

• Earlier, only captive consumers with end-use ownership could bid.

• Now, any party can bid for a coal block and sell in the open market.

• Entry norms will be liberalized

• Nearly 50 blocks to be offered immediately.

• No eligibility conditions, only upfront payment with a ceiling.

Policy Reforms – Introduction of Commercial Mining in Coal Sector

• Exploration-cum-production regime for partially explored blocks

• Against earlier provision of auction of fully explored coal blocks, now even partially explored blocks to be auctioned.

• Will allow private sector participation in exploration.

• Production earlier than scheduled will be incentivized through rebate in revenue-share

Policy Reforms – Diversified Opportunities in Coal Sector - Investment of Rs 50,000 crores.

• Coal Gasification / Liquefication will be incentivised through rebate in revenue share.

• Will result in significantly lower environment impact

• Will assist India in switching to a gas-based economy

• Infrastructure development of Rs. 50,000 crores

• For evacuation of enhanced CIL’s target of 1 billion tons coal production by 2023-24 plus coal production from private blocks.

• Includes Rs 18,000 cr worth of investment in mechanized transfer of coal (conveyor belts) from mines to railway sidings.

• This measure will also help reduce environmental impact 

Policy Reforms –Liberalised Regime in Coal Sector

• Coal Bed Methane (CBM) extraction rights to be auctioned from Coal India Limited’s (CIL) coal mines.

• Ease of doing business measures, such as Mining Plan simplification, will be taken.

• Mining Plan has been shortened, made amenable for loading online.

• To allow for automatic 40% increase in annual production.

• Concessions in commercial terms given to CIL’s consumers (relief worth Rs 5000 cr offered)

• Reserve price in auctions for non-power consumers reduced, credit terms eased, and lifting period enhanced

Enhancing Private Investments in the Mineral Sector

Structural reforms to boost growth, employment and bring state-of-the-art technology especially in exploration through:

• Introduction of a seamless composite exploration-cum-mining-cum-production regime.

• 500 mining blocks would be offered through an open and transparent auction process

• Introduce Joint Auction of Bauxite and Coal mineral blocks to enhance Aluminum Industry’s competitiveness. Will help aluminium industry reduce electricity costs.

Policy Reforms – Mineral Sector

• Remove distinction between captive and non-captive mines to allow transfer of mining leases and sale of surplus unused minerals, leading to better efficiency in mining and production.

• Ministry of Mines is in the process of developing Mineral Index for different minerals

• Rationalisation of stamp duty payable at the time of award of mining leases.

Enhancing Self Reliance in Defence Production

• ‘Make in India’ for Self-Reliance in Defence Production:

• Notify a list of weapons/platforms for ban on import with year wise timelines;

• Indigenisation of imported spares;

• Separate budget provisioning for domestic capital procurement.

• Will help reduce huge Defence import bill.

• Improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in Ordnance Supplies by Corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board.

Policy Reforms - Defence Production

• FDI limit in the defence manufacturing under automatic route will be raised from 49% to 74%

• Time-bound defence procurement process and faster decision making will be ushered in by :

• Setting up of a Project Management Unit (PMU) to support contract management;

• Realistic setting of General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs) of weapons/platforms;

• Overhauling Trial and Testing procedures

Reduction in Flying cost Rs. 1000 crores - Efficient Airspace Management for Civil Aviation

• Only 60% of the Indian airspace freely available.

• Restrictions on utilisation of the Indian Air Space will be eased so that civilian flying becomes more efficient.

• Will bring a total benefit of about Rs 1000 crores per year for the aviation sector.

• Optimal utilization of airspace; reduction in fuel use, time.

• Positive environmental impact.

More World-class Airports through PPP

• AAI has awarded 3 airports out of 6 bid for Operation and Maintenance on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis.

• Annual Revenue of 6 airports in 1st round - Rs 1000 crores (against current profit of Rs 540 crores per year). AAI will also get a down payment of Rs 2300 crores.

• 6 more airports identified for 2nd round. Bid process to commence immediately.

• Additional Investment by private players in 12 airports in 1st and 2nd rounds expected around Rs. 13,000 crores.

• Another 6 airports will be put out for the third round of bidding. 

India to become a global hub for Aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)

• Tax regime for MRO ecosystem has been rationalized.

• Aircraft component repairs and airframe maintenance to increase from Rs 800 crores to Rs 2000 crores in three years.

• Major engine manufacturers in the world would set up engine repair facilities in India in the coming year.

• Convergence between defence sector and the civil MROs will be established to create economies of scale.

• Maintenance cost for airlines will come down.

Tariff Policy Reform

A Tariff Policy laying out the following reforms will be released:

A. Consumer Rights

• DISCOM inefficiencies not to burden consumers

• Standards of Service and associated penalties for DISCOMs

• DISCOMs to ensure adequate power; load-shedding to be penalized

B. Promote Industry

• Progressive reduction in cross subsidies

• Time bound grant of open access

• Generation and transmission project developers to be selected competitively

C. Sustainability of Sector

• No Regulatory Assets

• Timely payment of Gencos

• DBT for subsidy; Smart prepaid meters

Privatization of Distribution in UTs

• Sub-optimal performance of power distribution & supply

• Power Departments / Utilities in Union Territories will be privatised.

• Will lead to better service to consumers and improvement in operational and financial efficiency in Distribution

• Provide a model for emulation by other Utilities across the country.

Boosting private sector investment in Social Infrastructure through revamped Viability Gap Funding Scheme - Rs 8100 crores

• Social Infrastructure Projects suffer from poor viability.

• Government will enhance the quantum of Viability Gap Funding upto 30% each of Total Project Cost as VGF by Centre and State/Statutory Bodies.

• For other sectors, VGF existing support of 20 % each from GoI and States/Statutory Bodies shall continue

• Total outlay is Rs. 8100 crores

• Projects to be proposed by Central Ministries/ State Government/ Statutory entities.

Boosting private participation in Space activities

• Indian private sector will be a co-traveller in India’s space sector journey.

• Will provide level playing field for private companies in satellites, launches and space-based services.

• Will provide predictable policy and regulatory environment to private players.

• Private sector will be allowed to use ISRO facilities and other relevant assets to improve their capacities.

• Future projects for planetary exploration, outer space travel etc to be open for private sector.

• Liberal geo-spatial data policy for providing remote-sensing data to tech-entrepreneurs.

Atomic Energy related Reforms

• Establish research reactor in PPP mode for production of medical isotopes – promote welfare of humanity through affordable treatment for cancer and other diseases.

• Establish facilities in PPP mode to use irradiation technology for food preservation – to compliment agricultural reforms and assist farmers.

• Link India’s robust start-up ecosystem to nuclear sector – Technology Development cum Incubation Centres will be set up for fostering synergy between research facilities and tech-entrepreneurs

For read this Announcement : Direct Link

Source: PIB