BHUBANESWAR: After changing the sharing pattern for rural road works under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the Centre has informed the State Government about its decision to stop financing the projects which have remained incomplete for more than four years.
Expressing concern over large number of incomplete road works in the State, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) said spill-over financial liability of sanctioned projects beyond March 31, 2016 will have to be borne by the State.
However, this will not be applicable to works which are stalled due to litigation and delay in obtaining forest clearances, the Ministry clarified.
In January, the MoRD had intimated the State Government that 1,057 road works had remained incomplete even after four years.
As per the monthly progress report of the State Government, 1,931 of 11,217 works sanctioned by the MoRD have not been completed by end of March 2016.
In a recent letter to the State Government, MoRD Joint Secretary Rajesh Bhusan has asked for the status report on the road projects sanctioned by the Centre.
Bhusan has requested the State Government to furnish details of the road works which have remained incomplete till the end of the last fiscal, its financial implications and the reason for the delay to the MoRD by the first week of April.
“This is a matter of serious concern since PMGSY works are required to be completed within 12 months,” Bhusan said.
In a recent communication, the MoRD had indicated to provide financial assistance of `1,650 crore as its share (60 per cent) under the flagship rural road connectivity programme. The State had received `1,430 crore towards Central share under the programme in 2015-16.
As per the indicative annual allocation to States under PMGSY, Odisha will get third highest financial assistance from the Centre after Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
The Ministry has asked the State Government to accelerate the pace of work to provide connectivity to all villages by 2019.
The State Government has made a budgetary provision of Rs.2,300 crore for construction of 3,200 km of roads in 2016-17.
PMGSY Work