What is the primary objective of the 'National Monetisation Pipeline' (NMP) launched by the Government of India?
- To sell off loss-making Public Sector Undertakings to private bidders
- To unlock institutional capital by leasing out revenue-generating core infrastructure assets to private operators
- To print new currency to finance the fiscal deficit
- To monetize the data collected by government digital portals
Answer: To unlock institutional capital by leasing out revenue-generating core infrastructure assets to private operators
The NMP is not a privatization or asset-sale program; rather, it involves transferring the revenue rights of brownfield (already operational) public assets like toll roads, railway stations, and power grids to private players for a fixed tenure. The upfront capital raised is then recycled by the government to fund the creation of new, greenfield infrastructure projects.