PMGSY

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was launched in 2000 as centrally sponsored scheme to provide connectivity to unconnected habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East, hill, tribal and desert areas as per Census, 2001) as part of a poverty reduction strategy.
The Ministry of Rural Development along with state governments is responsible for the implementation of PMGSY.
Phase III of PMGSY was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2019. It involves the consolidation of Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.

Objectives

A strong rural road infrastructure ensures economic development through reduced cost of production and logistics, increased productivity, improved economies of scale, enhanced employment and improvement in public and private investments in rural farm and non-farm activities.
It provides better avenues of marketing of farm and non-farm products and services are facilitated in a rural set up.

Guiding Principles of PMGSY

The spirit and the objective of the scheme is to provide good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected habitations. A habitation which was earlier provided all-weather connectivity would not be eligible even if the present condition of the road is bad.
The unit for this Programme is a Habitation and not a Revenue village or a Panchayat. A Habitation is a cluster of population, living in an area, the location of which does not change over time.
PMGSY promotes the use of new and green technology in the process of rural road construction. Locally available materials are used in road construction activities to promote cost effective and fast construction.
The PMGSY shall cover only the rural areas. Urban roads are excluded from the purview of this Programme.

Funding pattern

Currently, the fund sharing pattern of PMGSY is 60:40 between the Centre and States for all states except for 8 North Eastern States and for 2 Himalayan States (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand).
For these states and UT of J&K, the fund sharing pattern is 90:10.
The funds for other Union Territories, implementing PMGSY, are being fully provided by the Central Government.

Initiatives related to PMGSY

Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism affected Areas (RCPLWEA): It was launched in 2016 as a separate vertical under PMGSY to provide all-weather road connectivity with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures in 44 districts (35 are worst LWE affected districts and 09 are adjoining districts), which are critical from security and communication point of view.
Meri Sadak mobile app: It was launched to enable citizens to register complaints regarding the quality and pace of construction of PMGSY roads.

Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone for various important road projects in Udhampur (J&K) being constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

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