Lok Sabha Question No. 4191 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Gram Sadak Survey App under PMGSY
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato, Dr. K Sudhakar, Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap, Smt. Smita Uday Wagh, Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Smt. Kamlesh Jangde, Shri Dineshbhai Makwana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4191 ANSWERED ON 19/08/2025

## GRAM SADAK SURVEY APP UNDER PMGSY

## 4191. Shri BidyutBaranMahato:

Dr. K Sudhakar:

Shri DineshbhaiMakwana:

Shri BalabhadraMajhi:

Smt. KamleshJangde:

Smt. SmitaUdayWagh:

Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  manner  in  which  the  Government  is  leveraging  Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana Phase IV to expand all-weather rural connectivity, particularly in areas requiring focused development assistance, State and district-wise including Maharashtra and JalgaonLokSabha Constituency;
- (b) the details of key innovations and strategic refinements introduced under PMGSY Phase IV;
- (c) the  manner in which these innovations and refinements build upon the successes of previous phases to enhance efficiency and equity in rural road development;
- (d) the  manner  in  which  digital  tools  such  as  the  Gram  Sadak Survey App enhancing transparency, data-driven planning and beneficiary targeting under PMGSY and the progress observed in implementation so far;
- (e) the  manner  in  which  PMGSY  Phase-IV  prioritising  areas  with low connectivity indices;
- (f) the manner in which equitable access to infrastructure being ensured through need-based planning and the measures undertaken  to  integrate  environmental  safeguards  under  the said  scheme  particularly  in  hilly  and  ecologically  sensitive areas; and
- (g) the manner in which environmental compliance being monitored during the project execution?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): Pradhan  Mantri  Gram  SadakYojana-IV  (PMGSY-IV)  has  been launched in 2024 for construction of 62,500 km of all-weather roads (single  lane)  to  provide  connectivity  to  about  25,000  unconnected habitations of population size 500+ in plains, 250+ in North East & Hill States/UTs, special category areas (Tribal Schedule V, Aspirational Districts/ Blocks, Desert areas) and 100+ in Left Wing Extremism  (LWE)  affected  districts,  as  per  Census  2011.  The scheme  is  being  implemented  across  the  country,  including  in Maharashtra. All  States/UTs  have  conducted  a  fresh  survey  to identify  eligible  habitations  through  the  Gram  Sadak  Survey  app under  PMGSY-IV,  which  is  specifically  designed  for  transparency and accuracy. The Ministry has started sanctioning projects under PMSY-IV  and  is  closely  working  with  States/UTs  for  the  timely sanctioning of targeted Road projects under PMGSY-IV.

(b) & (c): The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is continuously incorporating the latest technologies in the implementation  of  various  verticals  of  the  PMGSY,  which  has enhanced the transparency and data driven planning in the programme.

Focusing towards new vertical of PMGSY-IV, the Ministry has developed  a  mobile  application  called  the  PMGSY  Gram  Sadak Survey (GSS) Mobile App, specifically designed for digital mapping cluster-based of PMGSY-IV unconnected habitations, including habitations.

The  planning  for  PMGSY  roads,  based  on  the  data  obtained from the survey app, is being undertaken on PM Gati Shakti which has  an integrated  and  holistic  approach  to  infrastructure  planning and development. Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications  and  Geo-Informatics  (BISAG-N)  has  developed  a  GeoSpatial AI Tool on PM Gati Shakti for PMGSY Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation based on the road projects' requirements.

The Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS)  i.e.  the  programme  MIS  has  been  upgraded  to record road proposal processing and recommendations for enhancing accountability and transparency. The Project Monitoring Information  System  of  PMGSY  has  been  strengthened  for  better project  monitoring  and  recording  of  progress  through  geotagged, timestamped data.

The  PMGSY  IV  has  also  incorporated  the  concept  of  stage passing  by  the  first  tier  of  quality  monitoring  i.e.  the  Programme Implementation Units for strenthening quality monitoring efforts of

PMGSY roads.

The  Ministry  has  entered  into  MoU  with  the  States  for  post Defect  Liability  Period  (DLP)  maintenance  of  PMGSY  roads. The eMARG  module  i.e. the maintenance MIS of the programme facilitates monitoring of post DLP maintenance of PMGSY roads.

- (d): The  Ministry  has  developed  a  mobile  application  called  the PMGSY  Gram  Sadak  Survey  Mobile  App,  specifically  designed  for digital  mapping  of  PMGSY-IV  unconnected  habitations.  Habitation Geo  Tagging  mobile  app  enables  the  mapping  of  unconnected habitations. The app enables users to capture the proposed alignment as well as the geo-tagged photos of essential facilities, such as schools, primary health centers, gram mandis, and banks, along it. The app offers offline functionality, allowing users to map remote areas with limited or no internet connectivity.
- (e): PMGSY is an area development scheme, hence connectivity is not  being  provided  by  social  sector  categories.  Under  PMGSY IV, the population criteria for selection of unconnected habitations is 500+ in plains, 250+ in Hill States/ UTs and North-Eastern Region (NER),  Special  Category  Areas  (Tribal  Schedule-V  Areas,  Desert Areas, Aspirational Blocks/ Districts) and 100+ in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas (areas notified by MHA) in 9 States as  per  Census  2011.  The  PMGSY  IV  is  being  implemented  in convergence  with  DhartiAabaJanjatiya  Gram  UtkarshAbhiyan  and Pradhan MantriAnusuchitJaatiAbhyudayYojana (PM-AJAY), and

priority  will  be  given  to  unconnected  habitations  identified  under these programmes based on the following criteria:

DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram UtkarshAbhiyan :

- (i) 500 or more population and 50% or more ST population as per Census 2011
- (ii) 50  or  more  ST  population  in  250+  population  category  in Aspirational Districts as per Census 2011.

Under PM-AJAY, habitations focused on 500 or more population and

40% or more SC population as per Census 2011.

In addition to the above, Pradhan MantriJanjatiAdivasiNyayaMahaAbhiyan (PM-JANMAN) road connectivity  component  is  also  being  implemented  as  a  separate vertical under PMGSY with implementation period upto the financial year  2027-28.  A  target  of  8000  Km  has  been  given  under  the component, out of which 6,506 Km have been sanctioned so far.

- (f) & (g): Rural roads under PMGSY are constructed and maintained as per the technical specifications and geometric design standards given in the Ministry of  Rural  Development Specifications  for  Rural  Roads,  Rural  Roads  Manual  of  the  Indian Roads Congress (IRC) (IRC-SP:20) and also, where required, the Hill Road Manual (IRC:SP:48) and other relevant IRC Codes & Manuals.

To promote adoption of new/ green technology in the construction  of  rural roads  using  new  materials/  waste  materials/ locally  available  materials  under PMGSY,  the  Ministry  has  issued 'Vision  Document on New Technology Initiatives Guidelines-2022'. States are encouraged to adopt new/ green technologies in construction of rural roads.

Wherever  forest  land  is  involved  in  construction  of  PMGSY roads, State implementation agencies are required to take clearance from Forest Department as per law.

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