The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the Ministry of Rural Development’s proposal for the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-I and II up to September 2022 for completion of the ongoing road and bridge works.
The CCEA also approved the continuation of the road connectivity project for Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas up to March 2023.
The Government started PMGSY-I to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations of population size 500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East and Himalayan states.
In selected left-wing extremism blocks, habitations of 100+ population were also to be provided connectivity. Only 2,432 habitations are left out of total of 1,84,444 habitations.
A total of 20,950 km road length and 1,974 bridges are left for completion out of the total sanctioned 6,45,627 km road length and 7,523 bridges. These works will now get completed.
Under PMGSY-II, up-gradation of 50,000 Km rural road network was envisaged. Total 49,885 Km road length and 765 bridges have been sanctioned, of which only 4,240 Km road length and 254 bridges are balanced. Thus, these works will now get completed.
A majority of the pending works under PMGSY-I and II are in the North-East and Hill States due to factors such as Covid lockdown, extended rains, winters, forest issues. The States have been requesting the Central Government for extension of time to complete these crucial works related to the rural economy.