Lok Sabha Question No. 416 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-20
Subject: PMGSY III in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: V. Kalanidhi

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 416

ANSWERED ON 20/07/2021

## PMGSY III IN TAMIL NADU

## 416. DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the features of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY);
- (b) the details of the number of road projects sanctioned under Phase III of this yojana within Tamil Nadu so far;
- (c) whether the Government has sanctioned any funds under phase III of this yojana within Tamil Nadu so far, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has fixed any target of development of roads under phase III of this yojana within Tamil Nadu, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has also sanctioned the projects of widening of roads under this phase within Tamil Nadu, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) Rural  Roads  is  a  State  subject.  Pradhan  Mantri  Gram  Sadak  Yojana  (PMGSY)  was launched as a one-time special intervention to provide rural connectivity, by way of a single allweather road, to the eligible unconnected habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States and Himalayan Union Territories as per  2001  census)  in  the  core  network  for  uplifting  the  socio-economic  condition  of  the  rural population. Relaxation has been provided to the Tribal (Schedule V) areas and Selected Tribal and  Backward  Districts  (as  identified  by  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  and  Planning Commission) and unconnected habitations in these areas with a population of 250 persons and above in the Core Network as per Census 2001 are eligible for connectivity under the scheme. In the critical  Left  Wing Extremism affected blocks (as identified by Ministry of Home Affairs), additional  relaxation  has  been  given  to  connect  habitations  with  population  100  persons  and above as per 2001 census.

The mandate of PMGSY has been subsequently widened to include new interventions.  PMGSYII was launched in the year 2013, with a target to upgrade 50,000 Kms  of the existing rural road network  to  improve  its  overall  efficiency  as  a  provider  of  transportation  services  for  people, goods  and  services.   Road  Connectivity  Project  for  Left  Wing  Extremism  Affected  Areas (RCPLWEA)  was  launched  in  the  year  2016  for  construction/upgradation  of  strategically important roads chosen in the 44 worst affected LWE districts and adjoining districts in the 9 States  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Chhattisgarh,  Jharkhand,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra, Odisha,  Telangana  and  Uttar  Pradesh.    PMGSY-III  was  launched  in  the  year  2019  for consolidation of 1,25,000 Km Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations,  inter-alia, to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.

The  main  features  of  PMGSY  are  decentralized  and  evidence  based  planning,  standards  and specifications as per Indian  Road  Congress  (IRC)  and  Rural  Roads  Manual,  dedicated implementation  mechanism  at  central,  state  and  district  level,  scrutiny  of  Detailed  Project Reports (DPRs) at multiple levels, strong IT backbone for monitoring and implementation of the programme, three-tier quality management system, unbroken flow of funds, inbuilt mechanism for consultation with public representatives at planning, selection of roads and monitoring stages, etc.

(b)  to  (e)  The  State  of  Tamil  Nadu  has  been  allocated  a  target  length  of  7,375  Km  under PMGSY-III.  The  State  has  so  far  been  sanctioned  880  road  works  of  3,198.01  Km  at  an estimated cost of Rs. 1,817.10 crore, which also includes 18 roads of 78.30 Km sanctioned for widening  and  strengthening  of  the  existing  carriageway  width.  The  implementation  period  of PMGSY-III is upto March, 2025.

The allocation of funds to the States for implementation of PMGSY depends, inter-alia, on works in hand, pace of expenditure and unspent balance available with the State. The unspent balance with the State as on 1 st April, 2021 was Rs. 258.26 crore, out of which the State has spent Rs. 227.22 crore as on 15 th July, 2021, leaving a balance of Rs. 31.04 crore with the State.

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