Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana: Villages adopted by MPs to get roads on priority basis

NEW DELHI: The model villages adopted by the MPs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious scheme will now get Centre's rural roads on priority basis along with other benefits of various centrally sponsored schemes.

In the villages taken up by lawmakers under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, rural roads constructed or upgraded under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) would have to be maintained by the state governments up to prescribed standards and even beyond the built in period of first five years.

A decision to issue these amended guidelines for PMGSY was taken in a meeting chaired by Rural Development Minister Birender Singh.

A government release said this is in accordance with the Cabinet decision wherein all Ministries and departments of the central government have been asked to take necessary action to make suitable changes in the guidelines of their respective central sector and centrally sponsored schemes to enable priority to be given to the gram panchayats selected under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.

"The Centre has approved amendments in the PMGSY guidelines to accord priority in the selection of roads for new connectivity as well as upgradation, leading to the eligible habitations in the gram panchayats identified by the MPs under SAGY," the release said.

As per the amended guidelines, the state governments shall give priority to all roads leading to the gram panchayats identified under SAGY irrespective of Comprehensive New Connectivity Priority List (CNCPL) to include all eligible unconnected habitations in the selected gram panchayats.

"In case of upgradation of roads, priority shall be given to the roads which have Pavement Condition Index (PCI) Value-I & II in the gram panchayats identified under SAGY.

"However, the length required for upgradation of these roads should be within the overall target allocated to various States under PMGSY-I and PMGSY-II," the release said.

Moreover, in case of roads already built under PMGSY, in the Gram Panchayats identified under SAGY, state should carry out maintenance as per the activities suggested in the Operations Manuals and Rural Roads Manual, even if the maintenance period of five years is over.

"The state governments must ensure PCI of not less than four for all such roads at all times. Adequate funds for this purpose will be provided by state governments," it added.