300 HP Panachayats to have road link : Gulab Singh

Shimla, Sep 19 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister, Gulab Singh Thakur said that 300 panchayats of the state would be linked with road facility during the current finacial year.

Gulab Singh Thakur who attend a meeting with Union Rural Develoment Minister Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh held at New Delhi today, said that Union government would sanction Rs 400 Crore to various road projects in the state.

The sanctioned amount would be use under Bharat Nirman Programme and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna for undertaking various projects to connect additional 300 panchayats of the state with roads during current financial year, he said.

He told that centre has sanctioned first installment of Rs 75 crore to the state and added that remaining amount would be released shortly.

He stressed the need for expediting the works on all the ongoing schemes due to limited season in tribal areas and ensuing winter season in the state. He told the Union Minister that tough geographical conditions, heavy snowfall in tribal areas in winters and limited working season has necessitated the expedition of work on all the developmental projects in the state.

Public Works Minister said he urged Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh that time limit for completion of project works under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna should be extended from present 18 months because of various climatic and geographic conditions prevailing in the state.

He also requested for allowing cost escalation in all the ongoing rural development projects in view of price increase in construction material, adding that there are 479 other ongoing construction works which have been affected by the price escalation.

Mr Singh said he told the Union Minister that Ministry of Environment and Forest was insisting on payment of Net Present Value for construction of district and rural roads despite of Supreme Court judgment in which these roads have been exempted from such payments. He asked the Rural Development Ministry to pass necessary orders in this direction and sort out issue at national level.

He said that the Centre government had assured to provide liberal financial assistance to the state government for completing all the ongoing projects in time-bound manner.

UNI XC JN MMS1905