Tolls and private money, not an infrastructure bank, will raise revenue for infrastructure spending plans under a Tory administration, NCE can reveal. Speaking exclusively to NCE, Conservative construction minister Mark Prisk ruled-out an infrastructure bank, which has long been the subject of lobbying by the ICE. Prisk said it was better to use tolls to attract private investment to finance infrastructure. Join discussion...

The World Bank today approved four loans worth $4.3 billion (about Rs 20,631 crore) to help India finance its infrastructure programmes and further strengthen the capital base of state-run banks. The approved loan includes a a budgetary support of $2 billion for capital infusion in select public sector banks to help them maintain credit growth. Also Read Related Stories News Now - World Bank approves $4.3 bn loan for India - Emerging, if they can - AP govt to spend Rs 30 crore on Hyd roads - Mahindra Satyam in talks with World Bank to revoke ban - Rlys PPP projects go off track - WB says India weathered global crisis 'extraordinarily well' Also Read Related Stories News Now - Sensex slip into red in opening trades - Suzlon slips 3% on treasury stake sale - G20 summit eve: India for continuance of stimulus package - Tata Power slips in morning trades - Kashmir should be an independent state: Gaddafi More “This is a crucial time to support India. While the worst of the crisis seems to be behind us, doubts linger about the strength of the comeback, partly because the strength of the global recovery is uncertain,” said Roberto Zagha, World Bank country director for India. Join discussion...

The economic recession has challenged lawmakers from Sacramento to Austin and Tallahassee to Albany - and in city and county halls around the country - to find innovative ways to fund vital transportation infrastructure projects. As Congress continues work on the next multi-year surface transportation authorization bill, industry leaders and government officials must address many questions, including: what is the future of public-private ventures (PPV), what is their value in an era of tight budgets, and how can project owners use public-private partnership (P3) programs to deliver value for transit, highway, rail and freight system users? Join discussion...

French public works group Vinci (SGEF.PA) will secure financing this week for an 887 million euro ($1.3 billion) public-private partnership (PPP) road project in Slovakia allowing construction to start, sources close to the project said on Tuesday. Join discussion...

State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines are spearheading a syndicate that will bankroll the P15-billion Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Toll Expressway project to be majority-controlled by San Miguel Corp. Join discussion...

Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday said the government is ready to offer 20 percent of the cost of mega development projects if taken up as a public-private partnership (PPP). Join discussion...

New funding avenues are now opening for road infrastructure projects. Mezzanine capital lending—which, until now, was not exercised as an option by the financial institutions for the fear of high risks and liquidity crunches—is now raising eyebrows amongst lenders. Join discussion...

The Government may find it extremely difficult to achieve the investment target of $500 billion for the infrastructure sector during the XI Plan due to shortage of long-term finance, according to the Economic Survey for 2008-09. Join discussion...

Waste management is the "new powerhouse" in PFI and there is "cautious optimism" in the financial sector over supporting major PFI waste projects, an investment expert has claimed. Speaking last Wednesday (June 10) at the Futuresource conference in London, Mark Dooley, executive director and head of infrastructure at Australian investment firm Macquarries, claimed that, despite the economic downturn proving a "massive obstacle", the waste management sector could now claim to be the "new powerhouse" in PFI. Join discussion...

The free trade agreement (FTA) recently signed between Colombia and Chile will facilitate the approval of international financing for infrastructure concession projects, an official from Chilean concessionaire association Copsa told BNamericas. During the official presentation of the agreement on May 18, Colombian President Álvaro Uribe called on Chilean firms to invest in his country's infrastructure development initiatives, the presidential website reported. Join discussion...