Lok Sabha Question No. 979 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-13
Subject: PMGSY in West Bengal
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 979 ANSWERED ON 13/12/2022

## PMGSY IN WEST BENGAL

## 979. SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of total length of roads sanctioned and constructed in West Bengal in phases under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY);
- (b) the total number of pending projects in West Bengal under PMGSY and the time by which the said proposals are likely to be sanctioned; and
- (c) the measures taken to ensure the proper maintenance of the road constructed under PMGSY?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) & (b) The details of road length sanctioned and constructed in West Bengal under various phases of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are given below:-

| Phase     | Road length sanctioned (in Km)   | Road length constructed (in Km)   | Balance road length (in Km)   |
|-----------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| PMGSY-I   | 34,524                           | 33,975                            | 245*                          |
| PMGSY-II  | 2,518                            | 2,466                             | 39*                           |
| PMGSY-III | 857                              | 0                                 | 857                           |

* Balance road length is less than the difference of sanctioned and completed length due to the reasons that some projects were completed with less than the sanctioned length due to reduction in road length, change in alignment, construction of part length by other agencies, etc .

The  state  has  been  sanctioned  all  the  projects  under  PMGSY-I  &  II.  The  State  of  West Bengal  has  been  allocated  a  target  of  6,288  Km  of  road  length  under PMGSY-III,  out  of which  857  Km  has  been  sanctioned  to  the  state.  Receipt  of  proposals  from  the  State Governments  and  their  examination  and  consideration,  as  per  guidelines,  is  a  continuous process. The implementation period of PMGSY-III is up to March 2025. The state has been asked to expedite the submission of the rest of the proposals under PMGSY-III.

(c)    'Rural  road'  is  a  State  subject  and  as  per  the  programme  guidelines  of  PMGSY, maintenance  of  roads  constructed  under  the  programme  is  the  responsibility  of  the  State Governments and all road works are covered by initial five-year maintenance contracts to be entered  into  along  with  the  construction  contract,  with  the  same  contractor,  as  per  the standard  bidding  document.  Maintenance  funds  to  service  the  contract  are  required  to  be budgeted  by  the  State  Governments  and  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  State  Rural  Roads Development  Agencies  in  a  separate  maintenance  account.  On  expiry  of  the  5-year  post construction maintenance, PMGSY roads are required to be placed under zonal maintenance contracts consisting of 5-year maintenance including renewal as per maintenance cycle, from time to time, which are also financed by the State Governments.

National Quality Monitors appointed by the Ministry are also deputed to check the quality of maintenance work on PMGSY roads. If any work is found having unsatisfactory grading, the concerned State Government is informed to get it rectified/ repaired.

To further enhance the focus on maintenance of roads during the defect liability period and also streamlining the delivery of routine maintenance of PMGSY  roads,  electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads (eMARG)- an e-governance solution, has been introduced.

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