The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the finance ministry on Thursday organised a workshop to sensitise central and state government officials regarding empanelled Transaction Advisers (TAs) for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. The finance ministry in July empanelled 12 TAs to provide necessary support to project sponsoring authorities in transactions of PPP projects.
In the Union Budget 2022-23, the government had announced its intention to create an enabling environment for stepping up private investment in infrastructure.
About 250 representatives of central and state governments attended the workshop, the finance ministry said in a statement.
During the workshop, the officials were sensitised with the pivotal role of PPPs in boosting the infrastructure development of the country and the key interventions being undertaken by the central government.
DEA sensitised the officials that the support can be taken from the empanelled transaction advisers to structure bankable PPP projects, it said, adding, the empanelment is done for making the process of appointment of transaction advisors/consultant effortless, efficient and effective.
Officials were further sensitised with the manual developed by DEA i.e. Transaction Advisers for PPP projects: Manual for use of the panel.
The manual is a step-by-step guide that can be referred by the project sponsoring authorities to on-board a transaction adviser.
Officials were briefed with steps involved in the process viz., establishing project requirements; defining objectives of the assignment, developing terms of reference for the assignment, defining eligibility criteria, identifying key personnel for executing the project, publishing RFP, etc, it said. The officials were also briefed about DEA schemes for financial support to PPPs, which inter alia include Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme to support economically justified but commercially unviable projects, and the India Infrastructure Project Development Fund (IIPDF) to fund PPP project development expenses including costs of engaging transaction advisers, it added.
