PM hits out at corruption in rural road projects

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said corruption in the country8217;s road construction projects has 8220;spread like cancer8221; and lack of quality assurance..

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said corruption in the country8217;s road construction projects has 8220;spread like cancer8221; and lack of quality assurance was costing the nation crores. But he pledged Rs 48,000 crore for a four-year project ending in 2009 to connect 66,000 villages to boost farm growth.

8220;Corruption in road construction projects has spread like a cancer to every corner of our country. I hope we can implement both PMGSY Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Bharat Nirman without this affliction and in a transparent and accountable manner,8221; he said. Singh was speaking at the inauguration a national conference on rural roads, where he also released the Rural Development Ministry document Rural Road Development Plan: Vision 2025.

The PM said the fact that huge stretches of roads get worn during every monsoon despite crores of rupees invested every year on road construction and maintenance means 8220;we need quality benchmarks and quality assurance for rural roads, as we have for national highways8221;.

8220;While we make every effort to mobilise resources for launching new construction projects, we display a niggardly attitude when it comes to their maintenance,8221; said he.

A random inspection of road works under PMGSY ordered by the Ministry of Rural Development and carried out by the independent national quality monitors during July 2004 and September 2006 found substantial number of works under the scheme of 8220;unsatisfactory quality8221; in several states see box.

The Vision 2025 document estimates a loss of rural roads assets worth about Rs 10,000 crore every year, or equivalent of 40000 km roads being eroded, for want of proper maintenance.

Singh also said it was important to make road construction a labour-intensive activity as it could increase jobs in the sector by at least five times. The Vision 2025 document pegs the current employment potential for rural roads at around 46 crore man days per year, which it projects would rise to over 95 crore man days by 2017-2022.

Prime Minister8217;s Big Scheme

8226; The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched in December 2000 to give a boost to rural connectivity

Story continues below this ad

8226; The scheme provides for all habitations with a population of more than 500 to be provided with all-weather roads

8226; It is estimated that about 1.79 lakh unconnected habitations need to be taken up under the programme

8226; This involves new construction of 3.75 lakh km at an estimated cost of

Rs 78,000 crore and improvements of 3.72 lakh km at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore

Story continues below this ad

8226; Up to last December, about 83,000 habitations were covered and rural road work for an amount of Rs 38,387 crore were sanctioned.