BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has sanctioned 512 road projects worth Rs 1,045 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for the State in the current financial year.On completion of these projects, 898 habitations will be provided all-weather connectivity with 2,497.97 km of rural roads being converted to cement concrete roads.The State had submitted a proposal of Rs 1,535.89 crore for developing 3,275-km length of roads, including 2,508 km in 15 Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts under the Central scheme. It had proposed to provide all-weather road connectivity to 1,212 habitations, including 907 in the Left-wing extremist affected districts.The Centre has so far sanctioned road projects worth Rs 10,267 crore covering 30,000 km in rural areas.According to the Rural Development Department, 21,078 km of the sanctioned roads has been completed and connectivity has been provided to 6,792 habitations.All-weather connectivity has been provided to 21,078 out of a total habitation of 50,099. Of the remaining 29,021 habitations, 3,703 villages with population of more than 1,000 are still to be covered under the programme.The flagship rural infrastructure programme was launched in the last quarter of 2000 with a target to provide all-weather connectivity to villages having a population of over 1,000 by 2003 and habitations with a population of over 500 by the end of the Tenth Plan Period (2007).However, improved road connectivity has been provided to 3,314 out of 3,596 habitations each having a population of over 1,000. The target was to provide connectivity to 10,420 habitations, including 3,703 unconnected villages having population of over 1,000 by 2007. However, the Government could provide connectivity to 6,792 villages by August.According to the latest estimate, 6,715 villages with a population between 500 and 1,000, 7,921 habitations having a population between 250 and 500 and 10,682 habitation having a population of less than 250 are waiting for all-weather connectivity.The PMGSY programme was stranded in areas affected by Left-wing ultras. The tribal- dominated Malkangiri district is the worst affected.While 465 habitations of the district need all-weather connectivity, proposals for 236 villages were cleared under the IAP programme. However, improved connectivity could be provided to 35 habitations only.
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