New Delhi: The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) coordination committee tonight (Nov 26, 2004) decided that a bill on National Employment Guarantee Programme will be introduced in the winter session of Parliament.

Besides, 20 important bills will be introduced and priority will be given to 11 bills to replace ordinances promulgated in the inter-session period, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the nearly two-and-a-half hour meeting.

The meeting decided that Government will ascertain the final views of all political parties inside the UPA and outside in respect of Women's Reservation Bill. After this, a decision will be taken to introduce the bill, Chidambaram said.

Chidambaram said Government was committed to promoting Public Private Partnerships (PPP) for infrastructure, as it has now become an important tool the world over.

Recent developments in infrastructure sector, including roads and ports, were good examples of such partnerships.

Government has therefore proposed to set up a special 'viability gap funding' facility to support PPP projects.

Most of the infrastructure projects have a long gestation period and may not be fully viable on their own. Financial viability can be ensured through a mechanism that provides Government's support to reduce project costs, he said.

To qualify for viability gap funding, the projects must be implemented with at least 40 per cent private equity in the following sectors -- roads, railways, ports, airports, power, water supply, sewerage and solid waste disposal in urban areas and international convention centres.