National Highway Trust
Full Form of NHT
What is NHT?
The National Highway Trust (NHT) is a financial mechanism established by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to raise long-term funds for the development and maintenance of national highways across India. It operates as a trust that issues infrastructure bonds and other instruments to attract investment from domestic and international sources, thereby reducing the burden on the central budget. The NHT was conceptualized as part of the government’s push for innovative financing in the road sector, launched around 2021 under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is used primarily to monetize operational highway assets through avenues like toll securitization and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs). In the Indian context, the NHT plays a crucial role in bridging the funding gap for the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana and other highway projects. For competitive exams such as UPSC, State PSC, and banking exams, understanding the NHT is important as it reflects the government’s shift toward asset recycling and sustainable infrastructure finance. The trust ensures that user fees collected from highways are efficiently channeled into new construction, thereby accelerating road network expansion across the country.
NHT का फुल फॉर्म
राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग ट्रस्ट
Example
The government announced a Rs 5000 crore bond issuance under the National Highway Trust (NHT) to fund the widening of National Highway 44.