FM hikes allocation to NHAI to Rs 1.68 lakh cr for next fiscal

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday marginally increased the allocation to state-owned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to Rs 1.68 lakh crore for 2024-25 from last year’s revised allocation of Rs 1.67 lakh crore.

The pre-election Budget 2024-25 document has allocated marginally enhanced outlay of Rs 2.78 lakh crore for the highways sector.

An allocation of Rs 2.70 lakh crore was made for the highways sector for 2023-24, which was revised to Rs 2.76 lakh crore.

National Highways Authority of India and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) are primarily responsible for the construction of national highways and expressways in India.

The Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways saw a dip in allocation — from Rs 2,395 crore in the 2023-24 revised estimates to Rs 2,345 crore in the 2024-25 interim

Budget.

Moreover, the expansion of existing airports and development of new airports will continue expeditiously, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday and emphasised that the country’s aviation sector has been galvanised in the past 10 years