Question : PMGSY

(a) the present criteria of population of a village for the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY);

(b) whether this criteria is proposed to be revised to include all habitations with population of 1000 or below and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the targets fixed for the construction of rural roads under PMGSY for the 12th plan period and the length of roads constructed so far, year-wise and State-wise separately for single and double lane roads;

(d) the details of funds allocated, released and utilised for the construction of rural roads during the plan period, financial year-wise including 2016-17;

(e) whether additional funds have been demanded by the States and if so, the details thereof and the details of the additional funds disbursed to the States/UTs under the scheme during the plan period, State/UT-wise;

(f) whether the Union Government proposes to allow repair and maintenance of the roads constructed under the scheme after the expiry of guarantee period and if so, the details thereof along with the proposals received from various States for the repair and maintenance of roads and the action taken by the Union Government thereon; and

(g) whether there is any pending proposals from the State Governments to include road construction under PMGSY and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto, State/UT-wise including Kerala?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)

(a)&(b): Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched on 25th December, 2000, as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with the objective to provide a single all-weather road connectivity to all eligible unconnected habitations, existing in the Core Network, in rural areas of country. The programme envisages connecting all eligible unconnected habitations with a population of 500 persons and above (as per 2001 Census) in plain areas and 250 persons and above (as per 2001 Census) in Special Category States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim,Tripura Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand), Tribal (Schedule-V) areas, the Desert Areas (as identified in Desert Development Programme) and in Selected Tribal
and Backward Districts (as identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs/Planning Commission). The PMGSY permits upgradation (to prescribed standards) of existing rural roads in districts where all the eligible habitations of the designated population size have been provided all weather road connectivity. For intensive LWE blocks as identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, unconnected habitations with population 100 and above (as per 2001 Census) are eligible to be covered under PMGSY. The unit for PMGSY is a habitation and not a revenue village or Panchayat.

The Ministry has recently issued guidelines for providing single all-weather road connectivity to Non-PMGSY habitations in convergence with MGNREGS.

(c): State-wise, year-wise details of target and road length completed under PMGSY during 12th Plan Period upto Oct, 2016 are given at Annexure-I.

(d): State-wise, year-wise details of Central funds released under PMGSY during the financial year 2012-13 to 2016-17 (upto Oct, 16) are given at Annexure-II.

(e): During the Financial Year 2016-17, PMGSY has been allocated Rs.19,000 crore under Budget Estimate (BE) and after deducting committed liabilities, the effective availability of funds for release to the States for implementation of the programme is Rs.16,498 crore. This has been allocated to various States, as Annual Indicative Allocation, based on the value of ongoing works in hand, unspent funds available with the States and the absorption capacity of the States. The funds for the cleared projects are released to the State Government in two installments. The first installment amounting to 50% of the cleared value of projects, (or annual allocation whichever is lower) is released subject to fulfilment of conditions, if any, stipulated earlier. For subsequent releases, State Governments are required to furnish Utilization Certificate to the Ministry showing expenditure of at least 60% of the available funds and submission of other requisite documents as per programme guidelines. As per the revised funding pattern with effect from 2015-16 the State Governments are required to release matching State share. Hence, the availability of funds with the States, for execution of PMGSY works has increased substantially.

(f): PMGSY roads are constructed by the State Governments with a design life of at least 10 years. As per PMGSY guidelines, maintenance of roads constructed under the programme is the responsibility of the State Governments and all road works are covered by initial five year maintenance contracts to be entered into along with the construction contract, with the same contractor, as per the Standard Bidding Document. Maintenance funds to service the contract are required to be budgeted by the State Governments and placed at the disposal of the State Rural Roads Development Agencies (SRRDAs) in a separate maintenance account. On expiry of this 5 year post construction maintenance, PMGSY roads are required to be placed under Zonal maintenance contracts consisting of 5 year maintenance including renewal as per cycle, from time to time.

(g): The State Governments are required to submit Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) to the Ministry for consideration/approval of projects in accordance with programme guidelines of PMGSY. The project proposals are scrutinized by National Rural Roads Development Agency (NRRDA) to ensure that the proposals are in accordance with the programme guidelines and duly verified by the State Technical Agencies (STAs). These proposals are examined for consideration by the Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee chaired by Secretary (RD) in the Ministry of Rural Development. The proposals approved by the Competent Authority are conveyed to the State Government to take further necessary action before seeking funds. Accordingly, during the current Financial Year 2016-17, details of the project proposals sanctioned to the States including Kerala by the Ministry are given at Annexure-III.

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