During the 12th Plan period, infrastructure investment is expected to cross Rs 50 lakh crores, with half it coming from the private sector.
For funding the infrastructure projects, Tax Free Bonds of Rs 30,000 crores were announced during 2011-12. The Union Budget proposes to double it to Rs 60,000 crores during 2012-13. This includes Rs 10,000 crore for NHAI, Rs 10,000 crore for IRFC, Rs 10,000 crore for IIFCL, Rs`5,000 crore for HUDCO, Rs 5,000 crore for National Housing Bank, Rs`5,000 crore for SIDBI, `Rs 5,000 crore for ports and Rs 10,000 crore for power sector.
It has also been decided to make irrigation projects (including dams, channels and embankments), terminal markets, common infrastructure in agriculture markets, soil testing laboratories and capital investment in fertilizer sector eligible for Viability Gap Funding under the VGF scheme
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