PM unveils big plan for rural infrastructure

Bharat Nirman entails development in six critical areas of rural infrastructure between 2005-09.

According to a PMO statement, the programme will bring an additional one crore hectare land under assured irrigation; connect all villages that have a population of 1,000 (or 500 in hilly/tribal areas) with a road; construct 60 lakh houses for the poor; provide drinking water to over 74,000 new habitations; extend power supply to 125,000 villages that still do not have electricity and offer electricity connection to 2.3 crore households; and, provide telephone connectivity to the remaining 66,822 villages.

A detailed presentation was made on the four year agenda for implementation of the projects under Bharat Nirman.

Singh told the meeting that Bharat Nirman offered a ‘‘New Deal to Rural India’’.

He said that the programme ‘‘will emphasise outcomes and not just outlays.’’

He also urged the implementing ministries and state governments to improve the government’s ‘‘absorptive capacity’’ so that the ‘‘system does not become a constraint on our ability to deliver. Bharat Nirman should be implemented with a sense of urgency and dedication at all levels of Government.’’

The meeting was attended by Union Ministers for Finance, Rural Development, Power, Panchayati Raj, Surface Transport, Telecommunications, Water Resources, the Deputy Chairman and members of the Planning Commission, in addition to senior officials.