High level panel to fast-track bullet trains

PMO sets up panel to fast-track bullet trains

Question: Who is heading the high-level panel set up by the union government to sort out the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train issues with Japan?

(a) A.K Mittal
(b) S Jaishankar
(c) Shaktikanta Das
(d) Arvind Pangariya

Ans (d)

Related facts:

  • The Union government on 11 January 2016 constituted a five-member high-level committee chaired by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya to monitor the Rs 90,000 crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train projects.
  • Other members of the committee include: Railway Board Chairman AK Mittal, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Shantikanta Das and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion Secretary Amitabh Kant.
  • These members will look into the overall operations and technical issues of the project, its strategic importance for bilateral relation, financial outlay and the ‘Make in India’ component respectively.
  • Further, a separate committee under Mr. Das has been formed for inter-departmental co-ordination and resolving all issues related to project implementation.
  • Mittal and Mr. Kant, who currently holds additional charge as Niti Aayog’s chief executive officer (CEO) role, will also be a part of this committee.
  • Earlier, in December 2015, both countries signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation and assistance in the execution of the project.

Reference:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/government-forms-highlevel-panel-on-mumbaiahmedabad-bullet-train-project/article8093799.ece

http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/pmo-sets-up-committee-to-fast-track-high-speed-rail-corridor-116011100409_1.html