Odisha: 46,973 km roads laid in 18 years under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

BHUBANESWAR:Around 46,973 km long all-weather roads have been constructed during the last 18 years by the State Government under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) despite existence of villages like Gumudumaha in Kandhamal district which do not have road communication. The State Government has provided Rs 3958.07 crore out of the total expenditure of 19,618 crore on the roads which connect 16,133 habitations. The rest is Centre’s share.

This came to the fore during a review of the achievements of Rural Development Department by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Secretariat here. The issue will be discussed at the meeting of the council of ministers to be presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on May 21.Official sources said during the last four years, 21,049 kms of road have been constructed by utilising Rs 8,143 crore. This has made 6,030 habitations accessible through all weather roads. Odisha has been consistently performing well under PMGSY as a result of which 5,797 kms road were constructed in the State during 2016-17. Odisha stood second in all India level during the year.

Similarly, in 2017-18, the State Government constructed 7,176 kms of road and stood first at all India level. A target has been set to construct 8,000 kms of road during the current financial year at a cost of Rs 4,166 crore to provide all weather roads to 2500 habitations.Besides, during the last four years, 2925 kms rural roads have been constructed by utilising Rs 1,048 crore under Biju KBK and other rural connectivity schemes by the government.

As per the announcement made in 2014-15 poll manifesto of BJD, the Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched to provide good all weather roads to the unconnected habitations. Since the implementation of the programme, 1254 kms of roads have been constructed by utilising Rs 820.45 crore.

Official sources maintained that during 2018-19, there is a proposal to take up 320 new roads at a cost of Rs 700 crore to provide connectivity to 375 unconnected habitations. The department has also taken up 1032 bridges under Biju Setu Yojana since 2011-12, out of which 584 bridges have been completed by utilising Rs 1611 crore. As many as 464 bridges have been completed during the last four years at a cost of Rs 1428 crore. The State Government has set a target to take up 250 new bridges during 2018-19.