Reforms in infrastructure sectors would not only imply regulatory reforms, but would require developing market structure for introduction of competition, allowing more players other than public-owned entities, and undertaking financial sector reforms. In developing competitive markets for infrastructure services, hitherto believed and reasoned to be in the exclusive domain of natural monopolies, urgent action on all these fronts can ensure effectiveness of infrastructure reforms being undertaken by India and other South Asian countries. Some of the actions are long-term in nature, but steps have to be initiated soon. The infrastructure reforms in the region in the 1990s are beset with many complexities, and thus, their impact on improved provision of infrastructure services is not uniform, not only across the countries in the South Asia region, but across sectors within a particular country. Nevertheless, the lessons thus learnt show that areas like regulatory legitimacy, steps to encourage competition, and leveraging financing for investment in infrastructure sectors would require special attention for a variety of reasons. The papers and the discussions during the conference bring out different viewpoints from various stakeholders and suggest a path for undertaking various actionable points. The proceedings of the conference cover six sessions and reflect the emerging views on the subject. It is hoped that the book will serve as a ready reference to those associated with infrastructure reforms in India.
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