Meghalaya utilises Rs 9.08 crore under PMGSY

Shillong, Jan 24 (UNI) Meghalaya has utilised Rs.9.08 crore till November 2006 under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) out of an annual expenditure target of Rs.42.00 crores, which is about 21.61 per cent of the total amount, officials said here today.

According to the Ministry of Rural Development, Meghalaya has drawn Rs.123.17 crores against a cumulative entitlement of Rs 255.00 crores for the year 2006-07.

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which is a fully funded flagship programme of the central government, aims to provide all weather road connectivity by 2009 to all habitations having a population of above 1,000 in the plains and 500 in case of hilly, desert and tribal areas.

Accordingly, 66,802 habitations are targeted to be connected within this time frame.

A special window is proposed to be set up in NABARD for fully meeting the requirement for financing rural roads under Bharat Nirman. During the current year (2006-07) Rs. 4000 crore is expected to be drawn for this special window to supplement the budget outlay of Rs.5,225.62 crore for PMGSY, for which the government has approved the proposal to amend the Central Road Fund Act.

The PMGSY, under Bharat Nirman, proposes to upgrade and modernize 1,94,000 km of existing rural roads and construct 1,46,000 km of new rural roads, by providing all-weather connectivity opening access to health care, educational facilities and improved market access for agricultural produce.

UNI