The Steering Group, headed by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, would hold its maiden meeting on July 19, 2013.

During the meeting, the group would discuss the preparation and award of key infrastructure projects with an estimated cost of Rs 1 lakh crore.

These projects include- Mumbai Elevated Rail Corridor Project, two locomotive projects, accelerating Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, an expressway project, a port project, two airport projects, power and transmission projects.

Secretaries in the departments or Ministries of Finance, Planning Commission, Economic Affairs, Road, Transport & Highways, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Power and Chairman Railway Board have been invited to attend the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has approved the constitution of an Inter Ministerial Group to clear the backlog of railway projects estimated at Rs 2 lakh crore.

The group consists of Chairman, Railway Board, Finance Secretary and Secretary, Planning Commission. The group will come up with a creative financing-cum-implementation mechanism for enhancing investment and for clearing backlog of rail projects.