CONSTRUCTION OF RURAL ROADS IN HILLY STATES UNDER PMGSY

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RAJYA SABHA

The length of the roads proposed for construction in 2003-04 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) by Chattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan and cleared by the Ministry is 9979.49 km. Proposals of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have been considered but State Governments are to fulfil certain conditions before clearance is communicated. The other States are yet to forward the proposals for 2003-04.

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) seeks to provide connectivity through good All-weather roads to all Unconnected Habitations in the rural areas with a population of 500 persons and above [250 persons and above in respect of the Hill States (North-East, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttaranchal), Desert Areas (as identified in the Desert Development Programme) as well as Tribal (Schedule-V) areas ], by the end of the Tenth Plan Period. As per the revised Guidelines issued in January 2003, for calculating the size of population of any Habitations, the population of all Habitations within a radius of 500 metres are clubbed together. For Hill areas, habitations within a path distance of 1.5 km. are to be clubbed.

This was informed by Shri Annasaheb M.K. Patil, Minister of State for Rural Development in Rajya Sabha today.