(a) the total length of rural roads constructed under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) during 2007-08, State-wise;
(b) the total amount of funds utilized for this purpose during 2007-08, State-wise;
(c) whether certain States have not utilized funds allocated for rural infrastructure
development during 2007-08; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT(DR. RAGHUVANSH PRASAD SINGH)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the house.
Statement referred in reply to parts (a) to (d) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question
No. 479 for answer on 25.04.2008.
(a) to (d): Under Rural Roads component of Bharat Nirman which is being implemented
by this Ministry, it is targeted to provide connectivity to all habitations with a population
of 1000 persons and above in plain areas and 500 persons and above in hilly or tribal
areas with an all-weather road by 2009. For this purpose a budgetary allocation is made
each year. In order to augment budgetary provisions for the rural roads programme, a
special window under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) has been created in
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Funds are drawn
from this window and released to the States as per the requirement for the programme
and as per the provisions of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) programme
guidelines.
During 2007-08, the total budgetary provision in this Ministry for PMGSY was
Rs. 6500 crore. This was augmented with Rs. 4500 crore drawn from the Rural
Infrastructure Development Fund, making a total availability of Rs. 11,000 crore. The
funds released to the States including those drawn from NABARD are utilized by the
States for construction/upgradation of road works sanctioned by the Ministry under
PMGSY. A few States have not utilized the entire funds released to them. Some of the
reasons for slow implementation of programme in the States are:-
1. Non availability of qualified engineers.
2. Inadequate capacity of the Programme Implementing Units (PIUs) due to the smaller work load being handled by them earlier.
3. A long rainy season in certain regions.
4. Most of the construction materials such as cement, steel, bitumen, machinery, personnel to handle machinery are not locally available.
5. Law and order issues in a few States.
6. Lack of contracting capacity as well as non availability of basic road making equipment such as road roller, crushing plants, dumper/dipper and trucks.
7. Delays in obtaining land falling under forest area. As per the report available in the Ministry, during the year 2007-08, 39611.92 km. length of roads have been completed with an expenditure of Rs. 10135.41 crore. State- wise details have been given in Annexure `A`.