Govt, states connect 85% rural areas with roads under PMGSY scheme

In 2017-18 Budget, Centre allocated Rs 19,000 cr for PMGSY, while state's share pegged at Rs 10,000 cr

With a little help from states, the central government has claimed to connect almost 85 per cent of 178,184 eligible rural habitations through all-weather roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

Three years back in 2014, around 57 per cent of the eligible rural habitations had road connectivity even though PMGSY was launched more than a decade back.

However, a pickup in road construction to almost 140 kilometers a day helped in pushing the target of bridging all unconnected habitations with roads under PMGSY. 

Also, around 14,620 habitations out of the eligible 178,184 habitations (around 8 per cent)