The State Government has set a target to complete at least 500 out of the 823 road projects sanctioned by the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) on September 12.
The projects sanctioned by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) will provide all-weather connectivity to more than 800 habitations with a total length of 3,143 km.
The new road projects sanctioned for 18 districts _ seven integrated action plan (IAP) and 11 non-IAP _ are estimated to cost Rs 1,498 crore, Rural Development Secretary SN Tripathy told this paper after a video conference with field officers here on Saturday.
As many as 278 road works having a length of 1,016.41 km with a cost of Rs 439.68 crore have been sanctioned for the IAP districts of Balangir, Deogarh, Ganjam, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur.
Similarly, 545 road works having a length of 2,126.66 km with a cost of Rs 1,058.14 crore have been cleared for the 11 non-IAP districts.
The non-IAP districts are Angul, Balasore, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Khurda and Puri.
Tripathy said the MoRD sanctioned 602 road projects with a length of 2,498 km involving a cost of Rs 994 crore were sanctioned for 15 IAP districts in October, 2011. Another 284 road works with a length of 1,052 km valued at Rs 473 crore were cleared in November last year for 15 non-IAP districts.
A total of 681 road projects was sanctioned with a total length of 2,646 km, estimated to cost of Rs 1,008 crore for nine IAP districts on January 12.
Earlier in June, the State-level monitoring committee has set a target for construction of 3,000-km new roads under the massive infrastructure programme during the current financial year.
The RD Secretary said that the Centre has so far sanctioned projects of Rs 14,240 crore for construction of 10,007 roads measuring 39,214 km.
This would provide connectivity to 11,521 unconnected habitations. The Ministry has so far released Rs 9,629.55 crore up to April 30.
The State has constructed 23,309-km road by utilising ` 8,869.89 crore by the end of July, he said adding, 7,422 unconnected habitations have been provided with all-weather connectivity.
The financial achievement is over 92 per cent of the funds received so far. In 2011-12 financial year, 3,167-km new roads were completed and Rs 1,235.78 crore was utilised. It provided connectivity to 720 unconnected habitations.