BHUBANESWAR: Even as the ruling BJP had promised to construct 75,000 km roads in the next five years to improve rural connectivity in the state, the government has targeted to construct and upgrade only around 7,021 km in the current fiscal.
It has planned to develop 1,721 km under the central flagship programme Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). A budget outlay of Rs 1,976 crore has been made under PMGSY, of which Rs 1,000 crore has been sanctioned by the central government for 2024-25.
The state government has also made a budgetary provision of Rs 3,190 crore to construct 3,300 km of new rural roads and to complete 2,000 km of roads taken up by the previous government under Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY). This will connect 325 habitations with 50,000 population.
If the total target of 7,021 km is met in time, 994 habitations with about 20 lakh population will get all-weather connectivity. Apart from construction of new roads, the state government has made provision of Rs 3,592 crore for repair and maintenance of roads to improve their lifespan by enhancing socioeconomic benefits of improved road assets.
However, there still exists a shortfall of 8,000 km to keep up with the BJP’s election promise. In order to meet its promise of developing 75,000 km rural roads, the government has to construct at least 15,000 km per year which is a tall task, sources in the Rural Development department said.
The state had achieved a major milestone by constructing over 7,000 km roads, the highest in the country in 2017-18 and was adjudged the second best performer in the country after Bihar. The state was given a target for construction of 7,000 km in 2017-18. It completed 7,009 km, the highest-ever yearly achievement for the state since inception of PMGSY in 2000.
The state had received an incentive of Rs 175.67 crore from the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) for constructing 5,796.93 km roads in 2016-17. Bihar had topped the list by constructing 6,601.62 km of road in the same fiscal.
Route chart
Total 7,021 km rural roads in 2024-25
1,721 km under PMGSY
5,300 km under MMSY
Will connect 994 habitations, benefit 20 lakh population
BJP promised 75,000 km rural roads in 5 years