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States that have undertaken agricultural reforms will get priority while the Centre plans to consolidate 1.25 lakh km of rural roads at a cost of ₹80,250 crore.
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the launch of third phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (between 2019-20 and 2024-25), Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Information & Broadcasting, told media persons after the Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday.
This involves consolidation of 1.25 lakh km at an estimated cost of ₹80,250 crore, which will shared by the Centre and States. The roads will be selected based on population served, market, educational and medical facilities.
Marketing produce
Also, States that have adopted reforms in State Marketing Produce will be prioritised for connecting village roads. “States that have amended State marketing regulations to adopt major pro-reform provision of State/UT Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Model Act, 2017 shall be accorded priority,” said the release.
Plastic waste, among others, can be used for constructing these roads. Moreover, the Cabinet nod has a provision for allowing people to plant trees along the roads, for which they will be paid through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and other State and Central schemes.
From the total cost, almost ₹53,800 crore will be borne by the Centre. Projects will be built after the States enter into agreements with the Centre and States have responsibility to maintain the roads for five years.
For all State barring those in hilly terrains, the Centre and State will share the cost in 60:40 share. For the eight North Eastern and three Himalayan States – Jammu Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand — the cost will be shared on a 90:10 ratio.
The PMGSY was launched in December 2000 to provide single all-weather road connectivity to unconnected habitation of with populations of over 500 in plain areas and over 250 in North-East, hill, tribal and desert areas as per Census, 2001.
The release stated that 97 per cent of the eligible and feasible habitations have already been connected by all-weather road. The CCEA, on August 9, 2018, approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana - I and II, covering the remaining habitations by March 2019 identified as those hit by Left Wing Extremist blocks (with population of 100-249) by March 2020.
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