Lok Sabha Question No. 3068 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-07
Subject: Connecting Tribal and Backward Areas
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Ganesh Singh

## be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of villages, tribal regions or backward areas across the country that have been connected to the road network since the year  2014  which  earlier  remained  unconnected,  villagewise  and region/area-wise;
- (b)  the  total  number  of  kilometres  of  roads  constructed  under National Highways, State Highways, rural roads and interconnectivity road projects in Madhya Pradesh since the year 2014;
- (c)  the  tangible  and  non-tangible  positive  changes  observed  as  a result  thereof  in  areas  such  as  agricultural  marketing,  access  to
- schools and healthcare, investment attraction and tourism;
- (d) the number of road projects currently being implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model; and
- (e)  whether the Government is considering new financial incentive schemes or policy reforms to further strengthen this model and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)  to  (c)     The  Government  in  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and Highways is primarily responsible for development and maintenance

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3068

## ANSWERED ON 07 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## CONNECTING TRIBAL AND BACKWARD AREAS

†3068.   SHRI GANESH SINGH:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

of National Highways (NHs). All the aspirational and tribal districts are connected with the NH network.

Development and maintenance of NHs, including NHs providing connectivity to aspirational and tribal districts and other districts, is a continuous process. Works on NHs, including capacity augmentation, are accordingly taken up based on the traffic density, connectivity requirement, condition of the road, inter-se priority and synergy with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).

NHs are primarily meant for long distance connectivity.   Government  has  constructed  1,08,743  km  of  NHs, including NHs connecting large cities, urban areas, villages, aspirational and tribal districts, and other districts since April, 2014. This includes 4,775 km length constructed as part of NHs projects confined within one or more adjoining tribal districts during the last five years and current year.

Government has constructed 7,517 km of NHs in the State of Madhya Pradesh since April, 2014.

Based  on  the   study  by  Indian  Institute  of  Management, Bangalore on  impact of development of National Highways projects (2014-2022) in the country, broad findings are as under:-

- i. Every one-rupee expenditure in National Highway development leads to a ₹ 3.2 increase in GDP;
- ii. The  time  taken  for  transportation  between  factories  and suppliers has decreased by 9.19% in treatment districts visà-vis control districts;
- iii. The  time  taken  for  transportation  between  factories  and customers has decreased by 4.93% in treatment districts as compared to control districts;
4. The  time  to  access  schools  has  decreased  by  16.6%  in
- iv. treatment districts vis-à-vis control districts;
6. There  has  been  a  9%  reduction  in  time  to  access  health services  in  treatment  districts  as  compared  to  control
- v. districts;
- vi. The  average  time  to  reach  Mandis  decreased  by  7%  in treatment districts as compared to control districts; and
- vii. The average number of Mandis accessed increased by 8% in treatment districts as compared to control districts.
10. Although Government is continuously engaged in the development  of  NHs  to  boost  the  economy,  the  responsibility  for the  last  mile  connectivity  to  agricultural  centers,  schools,  health care centers, tourism centers etc. lies with State Government only. (d)     At present, 217 NHs projects in 8,025 km length costing ₹ 3.23 Lakh Crore are under construction in the country under the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) model. (e) To attract more private players and make  investment opportunities  more  attractive,  the  Government  has  taken  several initiatives  like  reforms  in  Model  Concession  Agreement  for  PPP Projects,  reforms  in  model  contracts  for  monetization  of  NHs through Toll Operate and Transfer (TOT) basis, Stakeholder Conferences held with concessionaires, financiers, and major government bodies to showcase investment opportunities to private players as well as understand & address investors' concerns etc.

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