Govt launches two modules to digitise PMGSY process

New Delhi: The rural development ministry has launched modules to digitise the road construction process under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

The modules are electronic measurement book (e-MB) and electronic billing (e-billing), replacing the paper-based measurement and billing system that had been in use for two decades. The modules, developed by the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA), went live on Friday.

"By digitally connecting field measurement, verification, billing and payment, the system creates a clear and traceable process - from execution of a work to settlement of the contractor's bill. The focus is to use technology to simplify processes, strengthen transparency and accountability, and ensure more efficient management of rural road projects under PMGSY," rural development secretary Rohit Kansal told ET. He added that digital recording will reduce duplication, minimise manual errors and provide a reliable audit trail.


Also read | When the cloud gets thirsty: Should India make artificial intelligence pay back its water debt?

This will also help manage the progress of rural road construction in a centralised data system, Kansal said. Until now, road construction has been measured and recorded manually, leading to some inaccuracies in data.

Government sources informed ET that the digital modules will enable rapid access to the scheme's development. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched in 2000, and since then, nearly one lakh kilometres of roads have been built, connecting 1.63 lakh hamlets under the scheme.