CCEA nod for building 32,791 km roads across 9 states

With an aim to provide road connectivity to remote hamlets, the Centre on Wednesday sanctioned projects totalling Rs 33,822 crore for improving infrastructure across 44 aspirational districts in nine states.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase I & II and extension of the road connectivity project in naxal-affected areas.

The extension to the two initiatives would facilitate connectivity to 2,432 habitations which were yet to be connected by road out of the total 1,84,444 habitations that were to be connected by road.

Besides roads, 2,228 bridges will also be built under the initiative.

Under PMGSY-II, only 4,240 km of road length and 254 bridges are yet to be constructed, which will also be completed now.

As many as 32,791 km of roads are remaining to be built under the PMGSY I&II and the road connectivity project in left-wing extremism-affected areas (RCPLWEA).

Of the total Rs 33,822 crore expenditure, the share of the Centre amounts to Rs 22,978 crore, I&B Minister Anurag Thakur told reporters here.

A majority of the pending road building projects are in the Himalayan and north eastern states and are now likely to be completed by 2024-25.

The projects were part of Prime Minister's 'Sankalp Patra' issued in 2019 for providing roads to every village, Thakur said.

Of the 32,152 km roads, 20,950 kms are envisaged under PMGSY I, 4,240 km roads under PMGSY II. Under the RCPLWEA, 5714 kms of roads are yet to be constructed, while additional projects totalling 1,887 km are yet to be sanctioned.

States have been requesting the central government for an extension of time to complete these crucial works related to the rural economy, an official statement said.