The Union government will explore the feasibility of using rubberised bitumen in the construction of rural roads under the Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) to support the production and prices of rubber.
The suggestion to use rubberised bitumen for road construction has come from Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony. Kerala is the largest producer of rubber. The growers are facing insurmountable problems at present as their produce is going abegging.
Union rural development minister M Venkaiah Naidu has assured Antony that the proposal would be considered. The rural development ministry would discuss the economic feasibility of the move with the Indian Road Congress. The roads laid down in Kerala using rubberised bitumen would be inspected for this purpose.
The rural development ministry would soon release Rs 47.65 crore to Kerala for the PMGSY and an additional amount of Rs 7 crore for the integrated wastelands development programme. Funds would also be made available subsequently for the state's innovative housing scheme under the rural housing and habitat development programme.
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