Lok Sabha Question No. 5453 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-25
Subject: Survey for New Highways
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5453

ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JULY, 2019

## SURVEY FOR NEW HIGHWAYS

## 5453.   SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  any  survey  of  State  Highways  (SHs)  has  been  conducted  by  the  Union Government;

(b)  if  so,  the  number  of  new  SHs  constructed  by  the  Government  of  Bengal  with  the assistance/grant provided by the Union Government;

(c)  whether the  amount allocated by the Union Government for the construction of SHs is being utilised properly and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the total kilometre target of roads linking other States achieved by the Union Government during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) The Ministry is responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs).

The  Ministry  also  allocates  funds  for  the  States/  Union  Territories  (UTs)  for development  of  State  Roads,  including  State  Highways  (SHs),  and  Roads  of  Economic Importance and Inter State Connectivity (EI&ISC) as per the provisions of the Central Road Fund (CRF) Act, 2000 amended by the Finance Act from time to time.

However,  the  Ministry  does  not  conduct  any  survey  for  such  state  roads  including SHs.

With the amendment of CRF Act, 2000 through Finance Act, 2018 and replacement of the earlier Act by the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund Act (CRIF), 2000, sanction of schemes for State Road is no longer a function of the Central Government.

- (b) A project of about 16 km length on SH in the State of West Bengal was completed under ISC scheme in February, 2018 for total cost of about Rs.50.27 crore.
- (c)  The  Ministry  releases  funds  for  the  road  works  under  CRF  Scheme  based  on  the Utilisation  Certificates  (UCs)  received  from  State  Governments  /  UTs,  duly  ensuring  that adequate  fund  is  available  with  States/  UTs  at  all  the  times.  The  Ministry  reviews  the progress of projects and expenditure incurred while releasing funds based on such UCs.

The funds for State Roads under EI & ISC Schemes are allocated keeping in view the committed liabilities, progress of works, inter-se priority, etc. For EI & ISC works, the direct payment procedure applicable for NH works is followed; the funds are released directly to the contractors by the Ministry's Regional Offices (ROs)/ Engineering Liaisons Offices (ELOs)/ Regional Pay and Accounts Offices (RPAOs) based on the works done and bills received/ processed.

The  total  Accural/Allocation  and  Release/Expenditure  for  CRF  and  EI&ISC  works during last three years are as follows: -

| Amount Rs. in crore   | Amount Rs. in crore   | Amount Rs. in crore   | Amount Rs. in crore   | Amount Rs. in crore   |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
| Year                  | CRF                   | CRF                   | EI&ISC                | EI&ISC                |
|                       | Accural               | Release               | Allocation            | Expenditure           |
| 2016-17               | 7,175.00              | 5,069.82              | 805.00                | 746.35                |
| 2017-18               | 6,744.07              | 6,367.11              | 759.20                | 676.56                |
| 2018-19               | 6,927.23              | 6,784.49              | 500.00                | 474.82                |

- (d) The year-wise total targeted length of works taken up for the roads linking other states under ISC Scheme and its achievements are as follows: -

| Length in km   | Length in km   | Length in km   |
|----------------|----------------|----------------|
| Year           | Target         | Achievement    |
| 2016-17        | 232.54         | 160.77         |
| 2017-18        | 442.08         | 346.10         |
| 2018-19        | 186.54         | 137.96         |

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