(a) whether most of the villages across the country are connected with roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY);
(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the remedial steps taken by the Government in this regard during the last five years?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a) to (d) Rural Roads’ is a State subject and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched as a one-time special intervention to provide rural connectivity, by way of a single all-weather road, to the eligible unconnected habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Himalayan Union Territories, Deserts and Tribal Areas as per 2001 census) in the core network for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural population. In the critical Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected blocks (as identified by Ministry of Home Affairs), provision were made to connect habitations with population 100 persons and above (as per 2001 census). The unit of PMGSY programme is a habitation and not a revenue village or panchayat.
Against 1,78,184 eligible habitations of 250+ and 500+ population size identified for coverage under the scheme, 16,086 habitations have been provided connectivity by the States out of their own resources and 4,689 habitations have either been dropped or have not been found feasible due to various reasons. Out of the balance 1,57,409 habitations sanctioned for providing connectivity under the PMGSY, 1,54,676 have already been connected by all-weather roads and the balance 2,733 habitations are proposed for connectivity by March, 2022.
Under 100-249 population category habitations in LWE areas, out of 6,286 habitations sanctioned for providing all-weather road connectivity, 5,565 habitations have been provided all-weather road connectivity and balance 721 habitations are proposed for all-weather road connectivity by March, 2022.
The details of habitations provided connectivity under PMGSY, State/UT-wise are indicated in Annexure.
The progress of implementation of rural roads under PMGSY is regularly reviewed by way of Regional Review Meetings (RRMs), Performance Review Committee (PRC) Meetings, Pre-Empowered/Empowered Committee Meetings with the States. At District level, the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) headed by Hon’ble Member of Parliament (LS) monitors the implementation of various schemes of Government of India including PMGSY. In addition to this, special review meetings/monthly review meetings are also held by Secretary/ Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development with Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries of the States.
The Ministry of Rural Development has taken following initiatives to ensure completion of the sanctioned PMGSY Projects within the time-line prescribed in the programme guidelines:
• The Operational Manual of the PMGSY has been amended to ensure that all works sanctioned under scheme commence on ground within 72 days from the date of sanction.
• States have been requested to augment executing capacity and contracting capacity and their compliance in this regards is regularly reviewed.
• Bidding document provisions have been rationalized.
• Training is imparted to field engineers and contractors as well as their staff for capacity building.
• Ministry has engaged Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) in some of the States to augment execution capacity of the States.
• The Ministry has also conducted number of Contractor’s Outreach Programmes in the States to attract the Contractors in the implementation of the programme.
• In order to encourage use of locally available materials and green technologies, guidelines were issued by the Ministry, wherein the State Governments are required to propose minimum 15% of total length of annual proposals under New technologies such as Cement stabilization, Lime stabilization, Cold mix, Waste plastics, Cell filled concrete, Paneled cement concrete pavement, Fly ash etc.
• Use of Information Technology for real time monitoring of the progress of works
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Annexure
State-wise details of eligible habitations connected and balance to be connected by all-weather roads