Union Cabinet approves fourth phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana with Rs 70,125 cr outlay to construct all-weather roads

This phase will provide financial support for constructing 62,500 kilometers of roads to connect 25,000 previously unconnected habitations, as well as for building or upgrading bridges on these new roads, according to a government press release.

The fourth phase is expected to generate 40 crore person-days of employment, stated Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology.

The initiative, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Union Budget 2024 speech, focuses on enhancing connectivity and fostering economic growth in rural areas.

Since the PMGSY's launch on December 25, 2000, under the National Democratic Alliance government led by then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a total of 765,472 km of road length has been constructed, reported the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA).

The program's goal has been to provide all-weather road access to unconnected habitations with populations of 500 or more in plain areas, and 250 or more in special category states (such as the North East, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand), as well as in desert regions identified under the Desert Development Programme and 88 backward districts marked by the Ministry of Home Affairs/Planning Commission.

The PMGSY has evolved through various phases, including Phase 2 in 2013 and the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) in 2016, which focused on constructing roads in regions affected by left-wing extremism. Phase 3 was launched in 2019.

The program’s primary aim is to build durable, all-weather roads in rural areas, with local Panchayati Raj institutions and elected representatives determining which locations to prioritize.

Initially fully funded by the central government until 2015-16, the program is now funded through a cost-sharing arrangement between the Centre and the states.

Additionally, on September 11, the Rural Development Ministry approved new road construction across three states.

The sanctioned projects include 60 roads spanning 152.44 km in Madhya Pradesh, 117 roads covering 745.286 km in Maharashtra, and 11 bridges in Kerala.

In Madhya Pradesh, these roads fall under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) at a cost of Rs 113.58 crore, while in Maharashtra and Kerala, they are part of the PMGSY, costing Rs 655.66 crore and Rs 55.28 crore, respectively.