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Business News/ Industry / Govt brings forward rural connectivity scheme target date to 2019
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Govt brings forward rural connectivity scheme target date to 2019

Rural development ministry says annual allocation to states has been increased by `5,000 crore

The money allotted for rural connectivity was `9,960 crore during 2014-15, and `5,196 crore in 2013-14. Photo: Hemant Mishra/MintPremium
The money allotted for rural connectivity was `9,960 crore during 2014-15, and `5,196 crore in 2013-14. Photo: Hemant Mishra/Mint

New Delhi: The rural development ministry on Tuesday sought speedier completion of rural connectivity under its flagship Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) by bringing forward the date for completion of projects from 2022 to 2019.

A statement issued by the ministry said the annual allocation to states had been increased by 5,000 crore.

“The government has forwarded the target date by three years from 2022 to 2019 to achieve complete rural connectivity through all-weather roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana," rural development minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said in a statement. “The government has also decided to increase the annual allocation of the central release for PMGSY works during year 2015-16 by 5,000 crore and with this the total central allocation to states would now be 15,100 crore," he said.

The money allotted for rural connectivity was 9,960 crore during 2014-15, and 5,196 crore in 2013-14.

The aim of the two measures was to accelerate the pace of rural connectivity, he said. The central government was also considering financial incentives to the states that achieve the targets allocated to them within the prescribed time frame, the minister said.

It has also accepted the recommendation of the sub-group of chief ministers on rationalization of centrally sponsored schemes on a modified sharing pattern. The fund-sharing pattern of PMGSY will be in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and the states except for eight northeastern and three Himalayan states, where the formula of 90:10 will be applied.

PMGSY was launched in 2000 as a centrally sponsored scheme with the objective to provide single all-weather road connectivity to all eligible unconnected rural habitations.

In the 15 years since the start of the programme, 112,550 habitations or 63 % of the targeted number of habitations have been connected with PMGSY roads. Different states are yet to complete the roads to provide connectivity to about 37% of habitations, the statement said.

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Published: 24 Nov 2015, 11:50 PM IST
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