The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal on Tuesday to establish an Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ITLA). ITLA will prepare a long-term Transport Plan covering roads, railways, ports and shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics, he said.
Technical appraisal of government infrastructure projects
It will also undertake technical appraisal of government infrastructure projects, costing Rs 500 crore or more. Financial appraisal will continue to be carried out through the existing financial appraisal mechanisms.
The authority will monitor implementation of transport and infrastructure projects above Rs 500 crore and provide a coordinated mechanism for issue resolution. It will undertake post-implementation impact assessment of these projects.
Rs 10,000 crore fund to promote SMEs
The Cabinet also approved Rs 10,000 crore to establish an SME Growth Fund for direct equity investments in Small and Medium Enterprises to create future champions.
The SME Growth Fund (SGF) will catalyse growth-oriented capital for India’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and create champion Indian enterprises across manufacturing, services, technology, innovation-driven sectors, and strategic value chains.
The Cabinet has approved a “commitment of Rs 10,000 crore towards establishment of the SME Growth Fund for direct equity investments in Small and Medium Enterprises to create future champions”, an official release said. The fund was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27.
The government said the initiative reflects its commitment to realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by strengthening India’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, deepening the domestic capital market for growth-stage enterprises, and creating a new generation of Indian companies capable of competing globally.
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