The infrastructure sector is one of the major pillars for economic growth and development of a country. The responsibility to develop this crucial sector is shifting away from the public to the private sector. After the economic liberalization in 1991, India opened the infrastructure sector, among many others, to private domestic and foreign investment. The shortage of electricity, the poor state of roads, and limited telecom access necessitated a stream of persistent reforms, which were expected to play a significant role in the infrastructure sector's growth. Although some subsectors witnessed success, others continued to face hurdles. The paper highlights the role of infrastructure in socio-economic development through global literature. It also presents a story of infrastructure development in India since the inception of economic liberalization. It highlights various challenges that discourage private sector investments, thus providing a rationale for policy initiatives by the government. The paper also presents critical issues highlighted by multiple government committees over nearly three decades and identifies residual issues that merit attention. The outcomes of the paper are relevant in the context of developing and emerging economies.

中文翻译：

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发展基础设施部门的政策行动：印度经验教训

基础设施部门是一个国家经济增长和发展的主要支柱之一。发展这一关键部门的责任正在从公共部门转移到私营部门。1991 年经济自由化后，印度向国内外私人投资开放了基础设施部门等。电力短缺、道路状况不佳以及电信接入受限需要进行一系列持续的改革，预计这些改革将在基础设施部门的增长中发挥重要作用。尽管一些分部门取得了成功，但其他分部门继续面临障碍。该文件通过全球文献强调了基础设施在社会经济发展中的作用。它还介绍了自经济自由化以来印度基础设施发展的故事。它强调了阻碍私营部门投资的各种挑战，从而为政府的政策举措提供了理由。该文件还介绍了近三十年来多个政府委员会强调的关键问题，并确定了值得关注的遗留问题。该文件的成果与发展中和新兴经济体的背景相关。