BHUBANESWAR: Showing an impressive performance in rural connectivity, the Ssate government has completed construction of 20,568.08 km of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the last three years. In a written reply to questions from BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said 3,706 habitations have been provided all-weather road connectivity during 2017-18 and 2019-20.
“As many as 17,023 habitations have been sanctioned for all-weather connectivity under PMGSY for Odisha. Of which, 16,626 habitations have already been connected. The remaining 397 habitations are targeted to be connected by March, 2022,” Tomar said and added that around 97.67 per cent habitations have been connected as on January 31, 2021.
To another query, the Minister said the eligibility under PMGSY is determined on the basis of habitations to be connected. As per programme guidelines, the unit of this programme is a habitation and not a revenue village or a panchayat. He said Odisha has been allocated Rs 1,000 crore (Central share) for the current financial year out of which Rs 404.12 crore has been released taking into consideration the expenditure and unspent balance available with the State.
Responding to another question of Sarangi on the steps taken by the government to increase accessibility by roads in rural areas and timeline set for completion, Tomar said. Since inception till January 31, 2021, a total of 7,47,963 km road length has been sanctioned, out of which 6,44,887 km road length has been completed (86 per cent) at a cost of Rs 2,38,948 crore.
Moreover, 99 per cent habitation connectivity has been achieved under the scheme. The sunset date for PMGSY-I and II is targeted as March 2022 for road connectivity project for left-wing extremism areas (RCPLWEA). Under RCPLWEA, a total of 9,286 km road length has been sanctioned and 2,738 km road length has been completed.