PMGSY phase II to upgrade already constructed rural roads

Seeking to take forward the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), the Centre has come out with its phase II to upgrade rural roads constructed under the programme.
While the ongoing PMGSY will continue, under PMGSY phase II, the roads already built for village connectivity will be upgraded to enhance rural infrastructure.
In its meeting last week, Union Cabinet approved the proposal for launching the PMGSY-II. The proposal was mooted by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.
According to sources, states which have received all sanctions for new connectivity and upgradation under PMGSY-I will be eligible for PMGSY-II.
"The total length of upgradation being taken up is 50,000 kms. 75 per cent of the cost of the upgradation will be met by the Centre and 25 per cent by the state. For hill states, desert areas, Schedule V areas and Naxal-affected districts, 90 per cent of cost would be borne by the Centre," a highly placed source said.

Uttar Pradesh (7,575 km), Madhya Pradesh (4,945 km), Odisha (3,760 km), Rajasthan (3,565 km), Tamil Nadu (2950 km), Bihar (2,465 km), Chhattisgarh (2,245 km), Maharashtra (2,620 km), Andhra Pradesh (2,285 km) and West Bengal (2,515 km) will be the states benefiting the most from the new scheme.

The programme will majorly focus on the roads constructed or upgraded under PMGSY-I experiencing comparatively higher volumes of traffic.
The new scheme justifies such roads' upgradation and improvement of freshly identified connectivity in revised District Rural Roads Plan from existing carriageway width up to 5.5 meters.
"In PMGSY-I, which is 100 per cent funded by the Central Government, the main focus is on new connectivity and constructing new roads. In addition, about 2,25,000 kms of rural roads are eligible for upgradation under PMGSY-I," the source said.

Announcing the programme in his budget speech, Finance Minister P Chidambaram had said Rs 21,700 crore allocated for PMGSY will be broken up into two. Now, Rs 4,000 crore, a portion of it, has been earmarked for the implementation of PMGSY-II this year.