Infrastructure Gap in South Asia : Infrastructure Needs, Prioritization, and Financing

Andres, Luis ; Biller, Dan ; Herrera Dappe, Matias

World Bank Group, Washington, DC

关键词: ACCOUNTING;    AGGLOMERATION;    AGGLOMERATION EFFECTS;    AGRICULTURE;    AIRPORTS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-7032
RP-ID  :  WPS7032

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

If the South Asia region hopes to meetits development goals and not risk slowing down or evenhalting growth, poverty alleviation, and shared prosperity,it is essential to make closing its huge infrastructure gapa priority. Identifying and addressing gaps in the data onexpenditure, access, and quality are crucial to ensuringthat governments make efficient, practical, and effectiveinfrastructure development choices. This study addressesthis knowledge gap by focusing on the current status ofinfrastructure sectors and geographical disparities, reallevels of investment and private sector participation,deficits and proper targets for the future, and bottlenecksto expansion. The findings show that the South Asia regionneeds to invest between US$1.7 trillion and US$2.5 trillion(at current prices) to close its infrastructure gap. Ifinvestments are spread evenly over the years until 2020, theregion needs to invest between 6.6 and 9.9 percent of 2010gross domestic product per year, an estimated increase of upto 3 percentage points from the 6.9 percent of grossdomestic product invested in infrastructure by countries inthe region in 2009. Given the enormous size of theregion's infrastructure deficiencies, it will need amix of investment in infrastructure stock and supportivereforms to close its infrastructure gap. One major challengewill be prioritizing investment needs. Another will bechoosing optimal forms of service provision, including theprivate sector's role, and the decentralization ofadministrative functions and powers.