Infrastructure is the term for the basic physical systems of a business or nation. Transportation, communication, sewage, water, and electric systems are all examples of infrastructure. These systems tend to be high-cost investments and are vital to a country’s economic development and prosperity.
Grant of infrastructure status enables the industry to raise money from insurance companies, pension funds, and international lenders with longer tenure and on easier terms. Infrastructure status gives industries access to cheaper foreign currency funding through the external commercial borrowing route. Falling under the infrastructure category helps the sector get credit at competitive rates and on a long term basis with enhanced limits.
The Harmonised Master list of infrastructure sub-sectors is created by the Government of India to act as a guide to all agencies involved in the field of infrastructure development and financing in India.
Important items included in the list are:
- Transport and Logistics
- Roads and Bridges,
- Railways
- Logistics Infrastructure
- Shipyards
- Energy
- Electricity generation Transmission and Distribution
- Oil and Gas pipelines
- Water and Sanitation
o Solid waster management
o Sewage collection, treatment, and disposal system
- Communication
Telecommunication towers
- Social and Commercial Infrastructure
- Educational Institution
- Sports infrastructure
- Hospitals – Medical colleges
- Cold Chains
- Affordable Housing
- Soil testing laboratories
- Tourism infrastructure – 3 star or higher category hotels located outside cities with a population of more than 1 million