No compulsion to lay metalled roads in Naxal-hit states: Govt

"PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) road can be broken up into two -- Stage A and Stage B. Stage A is everything except blacktop. We are not insisting on blacktop from Day one," Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said here.

"Maoists are not against kutcha sadak (unmetalled road) and they blow up only the blacktopping," he said.

According to the new decisions to strengthen and accelerate PMGSY in the Naxal-affected districts, states can prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) in two stages.

"States can take up construction of formation, construction of gravel-base as well as slope stabilisation, protection works under Stage A. Stage B would include bituminous or concrete surfacing," Ramesh said.

He said naxal-hit states would be allowed to complete Stage A and furnish DPRs for Stage B later before March 2015, keeping in view the law and order situation.

The Minister also said the states would be allowed to use the schedule of rates of that particular year of DPR submission for Stage B.

"States will have the flexibility to declare the habitation as connected at the end of Stage A, if so required," he said.

In case of multi-connectivity block level, Ramesh said, it did not mean that that all roads should be blacktop.

"Why are we having problem with connectivity (in Naxal- hit districts)? Because, they (Naxals) blow blacktopping. The Maoists are not against kutcha sadak. Under PMGSY you give money only for one blacktop road. What we are saying now is you can have four roads, but one of them will be a blacktop road," the Minister said.