25 March 2026·PIB

Flash Report on Central Sector Infrastructure Projects worth ₹150 crore and above

In this note

1. At a Glance

Flash Report is a monthly MoSPI publication tracking ongoing Central Sector infrastructure projects costing ₹150 crore and above, now hosted on the new PAIMANA portal (Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building) [1][3].
Functions as the government's principal early-warning instrument on time and cost overruns, feeding PRAGATI reviews and Parliamentary replies [3].
Examinable for UPSC under GS-III (infrastructure, growth, public investment) and GS-II (governance/monitoring institutions).

25 March 2026 PIB release: PAIMANA tracked 1,948 ongoing projects worth ₹41.98 lakh crore as of February 2026; cumulative expenditure ₹19.71 lakh crore (≈46.95 % of revised cost) [1].
Portal-generated web Flash Reports began publication from July 2025, replacing the legacy OCMS-2006 system [2][3].

Monitoring mandate derives from the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, vested in the Infrastructure & Project Monitoring Division (IPMD), MoSPI [3].
Threshold of ₹150 crore for central monitoring (raised from earlier ₹20 crore / ₹100 crore limits) [3].
Earlier mechanism: OCMS (Online Computerized Monitoring System), 2006 — replaced by PAIMANA in 2025 [2].
Integrated via API with DPIIT's Integrated Project Monitoring Portal (IPMP/IIG-PMG); ~60 % of projects update automatically [2].

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI); Division: Infrastructure & Project Monitoring Division (IPMD) [3].
Threshold: Central Sector projects ≥ ₹150 crore [3].
Ministries/Departments covered: 17 Central Ministries/Departments [1][2].
Sectors monitored (11): Power, Cement, Coal, Steel, Railways, Shipping & Ports, Fertilizers, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Civil Aviation, Roads, Telecommunication [3].
February 2026 snapshot: 1,948 projects | revised cost ₹41.98 lakh crore | expenditure ₹19.71 lakh crore (~46.95 %) [1].
January 2026 snapshot: 1,702 projects | original cost ₹33.71 lakh crore | expenditure ₹20.01 lakh crore [2].
Reporting compliance: > 90 % of central sector projects report on portal [3].
Outputs: Monthly Flash Reports, Quarterly Project Implementation Status Reports [3].

Economic: Tracks capital expenditure pipeline (~₹42 lakh crore — roughly 13 % of GDP) underpinning India's infrastructure-led growth strategy; cost overruns directly inflate fiscal burden [1].
Administrative: Centralised dashboard for inter-ministerial review, feeding PRAGATI (PM-chaired) sessions; addresses fragmentation between line ministries [3].
Scientific/Technological: PAIMANA introduces role-based access, interactive dashboards, advanced analytics, API integration with DPIIT — a shift from static reporting to real-time monitoring [2].
Governance: Improves transparency and data-driven decision-making; auto-flow from IPMP reduces manual reporting errors but coverage still excludes State-sector and sub-₹150 crore projects [1][2].

July 2025: First web-generated Flash Report published via PAIMANA portal [2].
January 2026: 1,702 projects monitored; expenditure ₹20.01 lakh crore [2].
February 2026: Project count jumps to 1,948; revised cost ₹41.98 lakh crore [1].
25 March 2026: PIB highlights MoSPI's strengthened monitoring framework [1].

PAIMANA = Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building [2].
Hosted by MoSPI, not NITI Aayog or DPIIT [1][3].
Replaces the OCMS-2006 system [2].
Monitoring threshold: ₹150 crore [3].
Covers 11 infrastructure sectors and 17 Ministries/Departments [1][3].
Portal integrated via API with DPIIT's IPMP / IIG-PMG [2].
Mandate flows from Allocation of Business Rules, 1961 [3].
As of Feb 2026: 1,948 projects worth ₹41.98 lakh crore; expenditure ~46.95 % [1].
Feeds the PM-chaired PRAGATI review platform [3].
Monthly publication = Flash Report; Quarterly = Project Implementation Status Report [3].
Implementing division: IPMD (Infrastructure & Project Monitoring Division) [3].

GS-III: Indian Economy — Infrastructure; Investment models; Government Budgeting.
GS-II: Governance — Role of civil services / accountability mechanisms.
Likely question stems: 1. "Real-time monitoring portals such as PAIMANA address symptoms, not the structural causes of cost and time overruns in Indian infrastructure projects." Examine. 2. "Discuss the role of MoSPI's Flash Reports in strengthening capital expenditure efficiency." 3. "Evaluate institutional mechanisms (PRAGATI, PAIMANA, IPMP) for monitoring Central Sector projects."

PRAGATI platform — PM-chaired multi-modal review absorbs Flash Report inputs.
DPIIT's IPMP / PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan — sister monitoring/planning architecture.
National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) — ₹111 lakh crore project list underlying these monitored works.
National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) — backend financing logic.
MoSPI's other releases — IIP, NSO surveys, MPLADS monitoring.
Public Investment Board (PIB) & DEA appraisal process — sanction stage before monitoring.
CAG Performance Audits on cost overruns — accountability layer.
15th Finance Commission capex push — fiscal context.

Wrong ministry: PAIMANA belongs to MoSPI, not DPIIT or Ministry of Finance.
Threshold confusion: ₹150 crore (not ₹100 cr or ₹1,000 cr).
PAIMANA vs IPMP: PAIMANA (MoSPI, monitoring) is integrated with — but distinct from — IPMP/IIG-PMG (DPIIT).
Predecessor mix-up: It replaced OCMS-2006, not the e-Samiksha or PRAGATI dashboards.
Sector count: 11 infrastructure sectors (Telecom included; Health and Education excluded).