Lok Sabha Question No. 3284 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Environmental Clearance under PMGSY
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ashok Mahadeorao Nete

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3284 ANSWERED ON 21/03/2023

## ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE UNDER PMGSY

## 3284.   SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether some proposals are pending for environmental and forestry clearance under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY);
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Ministry of Rural Development has taken up the said matter with the Ministry of Environment and Forests and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps being taken by the Government to accord approval to the pending proposals at the earliest?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): As per the information available with the Ministry, there are 322 works under the various verticals of  Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing  Extremism Areas (RCPLWEA)  which  are  pending due to environmental and forestry clearance . The State-wise details are as below:

| No.   | State          |   No of pending works |
|-------|----------------|-----------------------|
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh |                    32 |
| 2     | Bihar          |                    38 |
| 3     | Jammu &Kashmir |                     4 |
| 4     | Jharkhand      |                    16 |
| 5     | Madhya Pradesh |                    29 |
| 6     | Odisha         |                     1 |
| 7     | Sikkim         |                     1 |
| 8     | Telangana      |                   195 |
| 9     | Uttar Pradesh  |                     4 |
| 10    | Uttarakhand    |                     2 |
| Total | Total          |                   322 |

As per programme guidelines, the State Governments are responsible for ensuring that lands are  available  and  free  from  all  encumbrances,  along  the  entire  proposed  alignment,  for taking up the proposed road works under PMGSY and RCPLWEA. The State Governments are required to lay down guidelines for voluntary donation, exchange or other mechanisms to  ensure  availability  of  land  for  all  proposed  roads.  Most  of  PMGSY  roads  are  of  short length  and  require  diversion  of  land  less  than  1  hectare.  In  these  cases,  the  power  for issuance  of  NOC  is  delegated  to  the  Nodal  Department  of  the  State  Government.  In  the cases  of  linear  projects,  including  roads,  the  powers  for  diversion  is  delegated  to  the Regional  Offices  of  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  and  Climate  Change.  The  State Governments coordinate with the Nodal State Government Department/ Regional Offices of

Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  for  all  cases  of  No  Objection  for utilization of forest land for PMGSY roads. Necessary support in this regard is extended to the States by the Ministry from time to time. A meeting between Secretary, Environment, Forest  and  Climate  Change  and  Secretary,  Rural  Development  was  also  held  on  8 th February, 2021 to discuss pending PMGSY projects for want of forest/ wildlife clearances.

The issue of incomplete road works for want of forest clearance is also reviewed regularly by the Ministry during Regional Review Meetings (RRMs). Performance Review Committee (PRC) Meetings & Pre-Empowered/Empowered Committee Meetings with the State authorities. In addition to this, special review meetings/ monthly review meetings are also held at the level of Secretary/ Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development  with  Chief  Secretaries/Additional  Chief  Secretaries/Principal  Secretaries/ Chief  Executive  Officer-SRRDAs  of  the  States.  Review  meetings  are  also  held  by  the Minister with counterpart State Ministers. The State Governments are regularly advised to convene  meetings  with  the  concerned  authorities  in  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and Climate Change to expedite such matters.

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