BHUBANESWAR: THE Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has advised all states, including Odisha, to consult elected representatives in the planning and implementation of rural road projects under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
The MoRD’s advisory came in the wake of repeated complaints from elected representatives that they were not kept in the loop while deciding the shelf of road projects to be taken up under PMGSY.
As the PMGSY guidelines provide an important role to the members of Parliament and other elected representatives in planning and implementation of PMGSY road works, in a recent circular the MoRD has advised the State Government to strictly comply with the stipulations in the guidelines.
“Priorities of elected representatives, including MPs and MLAs, are expected to be duly taken into account and given full consideration while finalising district rural roads plan (DRRP),” the circular said.
As per the guidelines, a copy of the comprehensive new connectivity priority list/upgradation priority list are required to be sent to MPs concerned by the project implementing units seeking their suggestions for the annual proposals.
The State Government, while submitting the annual proposals to the Ministry, must furnish a certificate providing details of the consultations with the MPs concerned and reasons for non-inclusion of their proposals, the MoRD said.
The Ministry said annual plan without such details will not be considered by the Inter-Ministerial Empowered Committee. “There is a mandatory provision in the rule book that elected representatives, including MPS and MLAs, are to be consulted before finalising district rural roads plan.
On quality monitoring, the circular said the superintending engineers concerned are required to request the MPs and zilla parishad president of a particular region for selection of PMGSY projects for joint inspection once in six months.