Lok Sabha Question No. 3996 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Revision of Guidelines for PMGSY
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3996 ANSWERED ON 25/03/2025

## REVISION OF GUIDELINES FOR PMGSY

## 3996. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any plans for the renovation and maintenance  of  roads  constructed  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri Gram  SadakYojana  (PMGSY)  particularly  in  Kerala,  if  so,  the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  considered  to  revise  guidelines for  PMGSY  roads  to  ensure  better  durability  and  long-term maintenance, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  reintroduce the  provision  for  20%  Bituminous  Macadam  (BM)  for  new PMGSY roads to be included in batch three, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the total budget allocated for PMGSY road renovation and new construction projects in the current financial year, State-wise; and
- (e) the measures taken to address the challenges in the implementation and maintenance of PMGSY roads, particularly in rural and low-lying areas like Kuttanad?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a): Under Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY), maintenance  of  rural  roads  is  the  responsibility  of  the  State/  UT Governments. The Ministry had issued guidelines for maintenance of roads constructed under the programme. Under PMGSY, roads are covered  under  a  5-year  maintenance  contract  to  be  entered  into along with a construction contract with the same contractor as per the  Standard  Bidding  Document  (SBD).  Since  the  design  life  of PMGSY roads is ten years, the States have to undertake further five

years  of  maintenance.  A  MoU  has  been  signed  with  States/UTs  to emphasize on maintenance of roads constructed under PMGSY. The Ministry  has  also  implemented  e-MARG  i.e.  software  module  for maintenance payments to the contractor during the defect liability period. The post five-year construction module of eMARG incorporates  initial  rehabilitation,  renewal,  pre-  renewal  routine maintenance,  post-renewal  maintenance  and  emergency  repair works, as required. 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 (SRRDAs) in  a  separate  maintenance  account.  On  expiry  of  this  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 cycle, from time to time.

- (b): No.
- (c): The IRC: SP 72: 2015 (Indian Roads Congress -Special Publication  72,  2015)  guidelines  provide  recommendations  for  the design  and  construction  of  flexible  pavements.  It  mentions  the construction  of  bituminous  macadam  for  pavements  based  on the traffic volume. According to these guidelines, pavements with traffic  volume  greater  than  1.5  million standard axles (MSA) are to be constructed using Bituminous Macadam.  This  is  being  followed  under  PMGSY-III.  However,  any State  can  opt  for  BM  for  the  roads  with  lesser  traffic  category, provided the extra cost borne by the State.
- (d): The total budget allocated/released for PMGSY road renovation  and  new  construction  projects  in  the  current  financial year, State-wise is given in Annexure.
- (e): 'Rural  Road'  is  a  State  subject  and  PMGSY  is  a  one-time special  intervention  of  the  central  government  to  provide  rural connectivity, by way of a single all-weather road, to the eligible unconnected habitations in the core network. As per PMGSY programme guidelines, execution of PMGSY projects is the responsibility  of  the  State  Government.  Regional  Review  Meetings (RRMs)  and  Performance  Review  Committee  Meetings  (PRC)  are conducted  with  the  nodal  departments  of  the  participating  State governments,  at  regular  intervals  as  a  measure  to  monitor  the progress & to facilitate effective and timebound implementation of the projects sanctioned under PMGSY.

The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  has  taken  the  following initiatives to ensure completion of the sanctioned PMGSY Projects within the timeline prescribed in the programme guidelines:

- (i)  The  Operational  Manual  of  the  PMGSY  has  been  amended to ensure  that  all  works  sanctioned  under  the  scheme  commence on the ground within 72 days from the date of sanction.
- (ii) States have been requested to augment executing capacity and contracting capacity and their compliance in this regard is regularly reviewed.
- (iii) Bidding document provisions have been rationalized.
- (iv) Training is being imparted to field engineers and contractors as well as their staff for capacity building.
- (v)   Information  Technology  is  being  utilized  for  monitoring  of  the progress of works.

The  Ministry  has  also  implemented  e-MARG  i.e.  software module  for  maintenance  payments  to  the  contractor  during  the Defect Liability Period (DLP).

Further,  the  post  five-year  construction  module  of  eMARG incorporates  initial  rehabilitation,  renewal,  pre-  renewal  routine maintenance,  post-renewal  maintenance  and  emergency  repair works, as required.

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## Annexure referred to in part (d) of LokSabhaUnstarred Question No. 3996 for 25.03.2025

Total Central funds allocated/released during current financial year (as on 20.03.2025) under PMGSY, State-wise

(₹ in crore)

| Sl.No.State Central funds released   | Sl.No.State Central funds released   | Sl.No.State Central funds released   |
|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 1                                    | Andaman & Nicobar0.00                | Andaman & Nicobar0.00                |
| 2                                    | Andhra Pradesh                       | 171.07                               |
| 3                                    | Arunachal Pradesh                    | 350.00                               |
| 4                                    | Assam                                | 35.43                                |
| 5                                    | Bihar (RWD)                          | 1057.44                              |
| 6                                    | Chhattisgarh                         | 283.23                               |
| 7                                    | Goa                                  | 0.00                                 |
| 8                                    | Gujarat                              | 147.34                               |
| 9                                    | Haryana                              | 0.38                                 |
| 10                                   | Himachal Pradesh                     | 325.50                               |
| 11                                   | Jammu & Kashmir                      | 685.50                               |
| 12                                   | Jharkhand                            | 943.77                               |
| 13                                   | Karnataka                            | 50.00                                |
| 14                                   | Kerala                               | 122.27                               |
| 15                                   | Madhya Pradesh                       | 526.29                               |
| 16                                   | Maharashtra                          | 659.43                               |
| 17                                   | Manipur                              | 2.81                                 |
| 18                                   | Meghalaya                            | 145.11                               |
| 19                                   | Mizoram                              | 87.50                                |
| 20                                   | Nagaland                             | 2.25                                 |
| 21                                   | Odisha                               | 712.39                               |
| 22                                   | Punjab                               | 319.87                               |
| 23                                   | Puducherry                           | 0.00                                 |
| 24                                   | Rajasthan                            | 379.84                               |
| 25                                   | Sikkim                               | 70.00                                |
| 26                                   | Tamil Nadu                           | 577.66                               |
| 27                                   | Telangana                            | 132.57                               |
| 28                                   | Tripura                              | 26.13                                |
| 29                                   | Uttar Pradesh                        | 1468.66                              |
| 30                                   | Uttarakhand                          | 521.75                               |
| 31                                   | West Bengal                          | 115.00                               |
| 32                                   | UT of Ladakh                         | 110.81                               |
| Total                                | Total                                | 10,029.99                            |

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