Public Private Partnerships in India

PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN INDIA

Public Private Partnership or PPP is a subject being given the increasing attention that it has been receiving in context of the sweeping changes in India's economic policies. We are all aware, along with the dismantling of the license permit raj a greater role is envisaged for the private sector in these new policies. Now it seems that, the private sector is not only to be facilitated in its growth, but there it can be taken on board as a partner by the government in the provision of public services. This of course, is the purpose of PPP. For those of us who have had a long innings in Government, such thinking represents a paradigm shift from the way things were always done.

I am aware of the fact that some expertise has been built up, in the country, on PPP techniques. The India Infrastructure Report 2004, brought out by the 3-I network, IDFC, IIMA and IIT Kanpur, had devoted an entire section to PPP. Previous Infrastructure Reports have also have had chapters devoted to various PPP issues. Indeed there are many projects in the country, which have been based on public private participation. PPP is being recommended not only for provision of infrastructure, but also for e-governance