The Department of Economic Affairs has asked State Governments to go ahead with infrastructure projects to improve the growth rate of the country. DEA Additional Secretary Sindhushree Khullar described the public-private partnership (PPP) route as an unavoidable option to reduce the glaring infrastructure deficit that is visible across states. She explained that the DEA had worked with the rating agencies to develop a framework for grading infrastructure projects that would help investors identify the risks involved in the projects.