India's central infrastructure monitoring programme covered 1,853 ongoing projects with a latest combined cost of ₹37.56 lakh crore as of September 2026, according to a Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation release published by PIB on 26 October 2026. Cumulative expenditure was ₹17.73 lakh crore, approximately 47.21 per cent of that cost.
The figures span 17 central ministries and departments. MoSPI said its PAIMANA platform supports project tracking and reviews across ministries. The update sets out the distribution of ongoing projects by size, implementing ministry and stage of progress.
Physical and financial progress differ
The ministry reported that 654 projects had passed 80% physical progress, while 338 had crossed 80% financial completion. These counts describe separate measures of progress within the monitored portfolio.
According to the release, projects were concentrated at both the initial and advanced stages. Physical progress was ahead of financial progress in the 81–100% range. At earlier stages, financial progress was relatively higher, which the ministry linked to expenditure incurred upfront during implementation.
The release describes a pipeline containing recently started projects alongside projects approaching completion. The counts above the 80% thresholds relate to ongoing projects; the release separately lists examples of completed infrastructure.
Transport accounts for the largest sector count
Transport and logistics had 1,320 ongoing projects with a combined cost of ₹20.07 lakh crore, the largest sector count in the release. The sector classification follows the Department of Economic Affairs' infrastructure framework.
Within the ministry breakdown, road transport and highways accounted for 974 projects and a revised cost of ₹9.46 lakh crore. Railways had 284 ongoing projects with a revised cost of ₹7.21 lakh crore.
The coal ministry accounted for 121 projects costing ₹2.22 lakh crore. The release also reported projects under power, petroleum and natural gas, housing and urban affairs, and water resources, among other ministries and departments.
Portfolio includes 780 mega projects
MoSPI classified 780 projects as mega projects, using a project-cost threshold of ₹1,000 crore and above. Another 1,073 were classified as major projects, with costs below ₹1,000 crore.
The size classification sits alongside the ministry and sector breakdowns in the update. The ₹37.56 lakh crore figure represents the latest cost of the monitored ongoing portfolio, while ₹17.73 lakh crore is expenditure already incurred. The release presents spending and physical implementation as distinct indicators of progress.
Key numbers
- Ongoing projects: 1,853
- Latest project cost: ₹37.56 lakh crore
- Cumulative expenditure: ₹17.73 lakh crore
- Projects above 80% physical progress: 654
- Projects above 80% financial completion: 338
What boards and CFOs should note
- With 654 projects above 80% physical progress and 338 above 80% financial completion, how does the distinction between the two measures inform discussion of project status?
- How does the concentration of 1,320 projects in transport and logistics compare with the sector exposure under review?
- For the 780 mega projects, how are the reported cost classification and implementation stage considered together in discussions of the monitored portfolio?
Source: PIB, 26 October 2026. This is a summary of an official release, published as general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice.
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