"We are working on PMGSY-2 and hope to go to cabinet next month," Ramesh told mediapersons here about the nationwide rural roads scheme.

He said the PMGSY-2 will address concerns of six states, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and Rajasthan, which have completed their targets under the scheme, and will also meet demands from tribal and border areas for relaxing norms for construction of rural roads.

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) provides for connecting all habitations with a population of at least 500 persons in the plain areas and 250 persons and above in hill states, tribal and desert areas.

Ramesh said there was demand from tribal and desert areas that norms should provide for construction of rural roads in habitations with population less than 250.

Ramesh said his ministry had also sorted out the impasse over PMGSY works in Bihar as no major funds had been given to the state since February 2009 except for Maoist-affected districts.

"The total package is of Rs.2,440 crore involving road length of around 3,900 km," he said.

"We were able to resolve an issue which was an irritant between Bihar and the central government," Ramesh said.

He said six central agencies had been constructing roads in the state along with the state rural roads agency. The rate of completion of PMGSY works by the state rural agency was 37 percent against an expenditure of 52 percent, he added.

Ramesh said Bihar had also agreed to have a core network, which was a mandatory condition under the PMGSY.

The minister termed the PMGSY as a "very powerful programme" which has a multiplier effect. He said though the programme started during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the major flow of funds came only after the United Progressive Alliance government came to office.

Comment

comments...