PMG Reviews Key Infra Projects in Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal

26 Mar 2025 CW Team

The Project Monitoring Group (PMG) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) conducted a review of major infrastructure projects in Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha.

The review covered 19 major projects involving 23 key issues, with a total investment of over Rs 638.58 billion. A significant portion of the discussion focused on five projects under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, particularly the expansion of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals across the three states. These hospitals aim to enhance healthcare access by offering specialised treatment, medicines, and hospitalisation for insured individuals and their families.

Additionally, the meeting addressed projects under the Ministries of Steel, Coal, Road Transport & Highways, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Railways, and Power, identifying and resolving challenges to ensure smooth execution. A key highlight was the Buxar Thermal Power Plant (1320 MW) in Bihar, with an estimated cost of Rs 104.39 billion.

Chaired by Principal Economic Advisor Shri Praveen Mahto, the meeting was attended by officials from Central Ministries, State Governments, and project proponents to resolve implementation bottlenecks. Shri Mahto reiterated the government's commitment to streamlining project monitoring and encouraged authorities to adopt a proactive approach in resolving pending issues. He also emphasised the importance of private sector participation in utilising the PMG mechanism ((https://pmg.dpiit.gov.in)) to expedite project execution.

The DPIIT, through its Project Monitoring Group, will continue to facilitate high-impact infrastructure projects, ensuring their timely completion and contributing to India's economic growth.

(PIB)

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..