Whole-of-Government Approach

A whole-of-government approach means that public agencies plan and act together rather than treating infrastructure as separate departmental projects. In public infrastructure planning, it coordinates ministries, levels of government, budgets and information around shared outcomes, such as reliable connectivity, efficient logistics and accessible urban services.

What changes in infrastructure planning

The starting point shifts from an individual department's project to the needs of a place, transport corridor or service network. Agencies consider how their investments depend on, connect with and affect one another.

• Integrated planning links complementary infrastructure, such as roads, railways, ports, logistics facilities and urban utilities, instead of developing each network in isolation.
• Horizontal coordination brings ministries and departments together, while vertical coordination connects Union, State and local authorities.
• Joint planning aligns project locations, implementation schedules and necessary clearances so that one agency's unfinished work does not prevent another agency's completed asset from functioning.
• Departments retain their responsibilities, but use shared objectives and coordination arrangements to resolve interdepartmental dependencies.

How the approach is put into practice

Coordination requires common information and procedures, not merely meetings. Agencies need a shared view of existing assets, proposed projects and implementation constraints.

• Shared geospatial data can help planners identify missing connections, overlapping proposals and conflicts between infrastructure alignments.
• Joint appraisal considers network-wide benefits and dependencies, rather than judging every project only within a departmental boundary.
• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, launched in 2021, provides an Indian example through a digital platform bringing ministries together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
• Regular interdepartmental review helps identify bottlenecks and coordinate corrective action during implementation.

Why it matters and what it requires

Infrastructure works as a network: the value of one asset often depends on complementary investments. A whole-of-government approach therefore seeks to improve public investment efficiency, not simply increase construction.

• Better coordination can reduce duplication, repeated excavation, avoidable delays and gaps in last-mile connectivity.
• Integrated transport planning can improve multimodal connections and make the movement of people and goods more efficient.
• Success requires reliable data, institutional capacity, clear decision-making responsibilities and accountability for agreed tasks.
• Coordination must complement, not replace, project appraisal, environmental safeguards and consultation with affected communities.