MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)
(a) Rural Roads is a State subject. 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 and Himalayan Union Territories as per 2001 census) in the core network for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural population. Relaxation has been provided to the Desert Areas ( as identified in the Desert Development Programme), the Tribal (Schedule V) areas and Selected Tribal and Backward Districts (as identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Planning Commission) and unconnected habitations in these areas with a population of 250 persons and above in the Core Network as per Census 2001 are eligible for connectivity under the scheme. In the critical Left Wing Extremism affected blocks (as identified by Ministry of Home Affairs), additional relaxation has been given to connect habitations with population 100 persons and above as per 2001 census.
The mandate of PMGSY has been subsequently widened to include new interventions. PMGSY-II was launched in the year 2013, with a target to upgrade 50,000 Kms of the existing rural road network to improve its overall efficiency as a provider of transportation services for people, goods and services. Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) was launched in the year 2016 for construction/upgradation of strategically important roads chosen in the 44 worst affected LWE districts and adjoining districts in the 9 States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. PMGSY-III was launched in the year 2019 for consolidation of 1,25,000 Km Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations, inter-alia, to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.
The main features of PMGSY are decentralized and evidence based planning, standards and specifications as per Indian Road Congress (IRC) and Rural Roads Manual, dedicated implementation mechanism at central, state and district level, scrutiny of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) at multiple levels, strong IT backbone for monitoring and implementation of the programme, three-tier quality management system, unbroken flow of funds, inbuilt mechanism for consultation with public representatives in planning, selection and monitoring of works, etc.
(b) The release of funds to the State for implementation of PMGSY is done on the basis of the proposal received from the state and depends, inter-alia, on works in hand, execution capacity of the State and unspent funds available with the State. The details of Central share of funds released to the State of Tamil Nadu and Assam for implementation of PMGSY during the last three years and the current year and the expenditure incurred, including state share are given below:
Tamil Nadu
(Rs in crore)
Year Central Share released Expenditure (including State Share)
2019-20 308.46 799.29
2020-21 265.38 626.92
2021-22 440 712.36
2022-23
(as on 11.07.2022) 78.20 115.07
Assam
(Rs. in crore)
Year Central Share released Expenditure (including State Share)
2019-20 2401.88 3628.93
2020-21 2516.62 2600.19
2021-22 1591.5 1452.07
2022-23
(as on 11.07.2022) 0 295.09
(c) In the State of Tamil Nadu, 1,985 habitations were sanctioned for coverage under PMGSY and all the habitations have already been connected. In the State of Assam, 13,747 habitations were sanctioned for coverage under PMGSY, out of which, 13,704 habitations have already been connected and 43 habitations are balance for connectivity as on 13th July,2022. The district-wise details of habitations sanctioned and connected in the State of Tamil Nadu and Assam are given in Annexure.
(d) to (e) The progress of implementation of all sanctioned works under PMGSY is regularly reviewed by the Ministry by way of Regional Review Meetings (RRMs), Performance Review Committee (PRC) Meetings, Pre-Empowered/ Empowered Committee Meetings with the States. Besides, special review meetings/monthly review meetings are also held by Secretary/ Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development with Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries of the States to take stock of the progress of the scheme and remove the bottlenecks, if any.
All weather road connectivity to unconnected habitations of designated population size as per census, 2001 was envisaged in PMGSY-I. The timeline for completion for PMGSY-I work is September 2022.
(f) The Government in the year 2013 issued guidelines for construction of minimum 15% road length using new technologies and locally available materials. In order to implement the research outcomes on new and green technology in construction of rural roads under the scheme, the Ministry has recently released Vision Document on New Technology Initiatives & Guidelines, 2022, which emphasizes increased use of new technologies/materials. Around 1,14,000 Km road length has been sanctioned so far under the scheme for construction using new and green technology, against which 73,827 km road length has already been completed.
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