Govt draws road map for rural connectivity

The government plans to connect all rural areas in the plains with population between 500 and 1,000, and hilly areas, with population between 250 and 500, with motorable roads under the Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). In its approach paper for the 12th Plan, the government said the broadening of criteria will promote inclusiveness.

“All rural habitation with a population of more than 1,000 in plain and 500-1,000 in hill and tribal areas are expected to be covered by March 2012 under PMGSY,” the paper said. With this, a total of 136,451 habitation will have all-weather roads.

According to the latest figures, about 419,000 km of road projects, that would benefit 107,974 habitation, have been cleared in an estimated cost of Rs 118,298 crore.

PMGSY was launched on December 25, 2000, as a fully-funded centrally-sponsored scheme to provide all-weather road connectivity in rural areas. It also has an upgrade component, with a target to upgrade 368,000 km of existing roads, to ensure full farm-to-market connectivity.

During 2010-11, 26,388 km of all-weather road was completed till December 2010 and an expenditure of Rs 9,128 crore was incurred. Total funds released under PMGSY up to January 24 amounted to Rs 13,241 crore. In 2009-10, Rs 8,535 crore was allocated.

Since 2005, the priorities of PMSGY have changed. Rural roads are now being identified as one of the six components of the Bharat Nirman programme of the United Progressive Alliance government.

Under this, the government has set up a goal to provide connectivity to all villages with a population of at least 1,000 persons (500 in the case of hilly and tribal areas) with an all-weather road by 2012.

The problem areas include inadequate institutional arrangements and limited contracting capacity in some of the states.