Centre sanctions Rs 1368.54cr to state under PMGSY

The Centre has sanctioned additional Rs 1368.54 crore to Orissa under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for the current fiscal. This will be utilised to build 642 roads with a length of 3944.34 km to connect 309 habitations in the state.

The sanctioned amount includes Rs 845.96 crore for special improvement of 2432.34 km of rural roads badly damaged due to the floods last year.

“On 23 February, the Empowered Committee of the ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) sanctioned Rs 1368.54 crore to Orissa taking the total sanctions during the current fiscal to Rs 3837.89 crore”, said state rural development minister, Biswa Bhushan Harichandan. Briefing newsmen after a high level review meeting on PMGSY, Harichandan said, funds to the tune of Rs 9879.7 crore has been sanctioned till date for construction of 6364 roads with a length of 29343.89 km covering 12012 habitations in the state.

While Rs 3388.81 crore were released till the end of January 2009, the government has utilised Rs 3153.78 crore, representing 93 percent of the released amount. The work of 2906 roads with a length of 10169.92 km has been completed providing connectivity to 4585 habitations.

The minister said, the government will prepare detailed project report (DPR) for the remaining 39 habitations out of 5709 habitations targeted to be connected under Bharat Nirman. About the initiatives taken by the state government to expedite work under PMGSY, Harichandan said, tenders for all work has been floated. Roads to provide connectivity to 1507 habitations have been identified to achieve the target set for Bharat Nirman.

The government is monitoring road-wise progress of work, he added. The constitution of high power committee (HPC) under the chairmanship of Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) has facilitated the tender decisions.

The committee has finalised tenders worth Rs 2308 crore so far. Further to make up for the difference in the cost of materials used in the road construction in different regions of the state, the state government has introduced 3 scheduled rates for the contractors, the minister pointed out.