Rural Roads Target well within reach- Ministry of Rural Development

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development will achieve the annual targeted length of 48,812 kilometers of rural roads by 31^st March, 2017, as the construction work picks up from January to May every year. As on 27.01.2017, a total of 32,963kms. has been completed which is 67.53% of the annual target.   This translates to 111 kms. of roads getting constructed every day.  According to the annual target (48,812 kms.), the average per day construction should be 133kms per day.  It is important to realize that September to December are lean months for road construction, whereas the construction picks up from January to May every year.  It is also important to underline that from April to August, 2016 PMGSY had achieved an average per day construction of 139 kms. per day and therefore by 31^st March, 2017 it will achieve the annual targeted length of 48,812 kms.

The annual target of habitations in 2016-17 is 15,000 habitations, against which, as on date (27.01.2017) 6,473 habitations have been connected.  PMGSY would also by 31^st March, 2017, achieve the habitation target also.

Another major achievement has been the focus of using “green” technologies and non-conventional materials (waste plastic, cold mix, geo-textiles, fly ash, copper and iron slag etc.) in construction of PMGSY roads because these are locally available, low cost, non-polluting, labour friendly and fast construction technologies / materials.  In the first 14 years of PMGSY (from 2000 to 2014), only 806.93 kms. of roads were constructed using these technologies / materials.  In the last 2 years (2014-2016), 2,634.02 kms. of PMGSY roads have been constructed using these technologies /materials.  In the present year (2016-17) till date (27.01.2017), 3,000 kms. have been constructed using these technologies / materials.

It is also important to note that the progress achieved so far till 27^th January, in 2016-17 is far more than what was achieved in the comparable period, in each one of the last 5 years (i.e. 2011 to 2016).

Achievement in respect of Length and Habitations