Centre plans Rs 1.9-lakh crore 4th phase of rural road scheme

As per MoRD sources, the proposal to connect these 50,000 habitations under the PMGSY-IV is of Rs 1.9 lakh crore, of which Rs 1.3 lakh crore will be the central share and the remaining 60,000 crore will be contributed by states. This will give a big push to capital expenditure in the rural economy, the sources said.

The sources said these habitations will be identified based on Census 2011 data.

Emphasis will be on improved connectivity to villages and habitation within 50 km of national highways network, sources said. Besides, the focus will be on improved access to rural growth centres/clusters both in the farm and non-farm sectors.

It is learnt the Ministry has started the process to get Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) approval. A draft EFC note was circulated on May 28 for interministerial comments and some of the ministries concerned have shared their views. Now, the proposal will be sent to the Union Cabinet for approval. It is learnt that the ministry is preparing to seek Cabinet approval for the PMGSY-IV during the first 100 days of the NDA government.

The first phase of PMGSY was launched on December 25, 2000 by then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. The second phase was launched in 2013. After these two phases, another component of the PMGSY, Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA), was launched in 2016 for construction of rural roads in LWE areas. The third phase was launched in 2019.

Sources said the PMGSY-IV and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) will give a push to investment and job creation in rural areas. In its first Cabinet meeting, the NDA government has already approved 2 crore additional houses under the PMAY-G.