Rs 847.45 crore to Arunachal for PMGSY schemes

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has approved the recommendations of the Empowered Committee for releasing Rs 847.45 crore for 94 road works and 28 long span bridges in Arunachal Pradesh under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Stating this in a letter to Lok Sabha member from the state Takam Sanjoy, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the project proposals had been recommended for consideration during a meeting of the Empowered Committee on January 14 and had subsequently been approved by his Ministry.
Considering the execution capacity of the state, the Committee recommended in consultation with the state government that out of the total works proposed under PMGSY, 50 percent of the work would be sanctioned only after the setting up of five additional project implementation units (PIUs) with adequate engineering staff, official sources said here today.

Accordingly a clearance letter for Rs 610.80 crore for 78 roads and 14 long span bridges, covering 901.56 kms in length was issued.
The Committee also advised the state to send the remaining 'eligible' proposals to the ministry for consideration after all works sanctioned prior to March 2010 are physically completed.
The letter said considering the programme expenditure, expenditure on maintenance, quality inspections done by the state in the past, Arunachal has been assessed to have the capacity for taking up of works amounting to Rs 950 crore during 2013-14 whereas it has balance works worth Rs 1229 crore as on February 28 this year.

Ramesh said he had already sent a letter to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki requesting him to direct the department concerned to take immediate necessary action on the issues particularly for increasing their absorption capacity considering the projects in hand and future projects, the sources added.