Chhattisgarh leading state in the country in maintenance and upgradation of PMGSY roads
Raipur: Chhattisgarh is currently the leading state in the country when it comes to the maintenance and upgradation of roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. This is mainly due to the state government’s consistent allocation of funds towards the renovation of these roads, as per the directive of chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Panchayat and rural development minister Ravindra Choubey recently announced that the state government has provided a maximum budget of Rs 700 crore for the maintenance of these roads in the current financial year 2022-23. So far, 5436 km of road have already been upgraded against the set target of 6000 km for the year.
Panchayat and rural development minister Choubey said that there has been significant progress in the maintenance and upgradation of roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in the highly sensitive Naxal-affected Bastar division of the state. The maintenance of 75 roads, totaling 231 kilometers in length, was completed at a cost of Rs 37 crore. Similarly, 146 roads in the tribal-dominated area of the Surguja division, spanning a length of 560 km, were also maintained at a cost of Rs 90 crore. Even in the Naxal-affected Narayanpur district, where no renovation work had been carried out before, maintenance work on four roads totaling 10.50 km in length is being done for the first time after their construction.
A budget of Rs 779 crore has been allocated for the maintenance of 782 roads in the financial year 2023-24
The panchayat and rural development Minister informed that for the financial year 2023-24, a budget of Rs 779 crore has been allocated for the maintenance and upgradation of 782 roads totaling 2915 kilometers in length. He also highlighted that Chhattisgarh is currently leading the country in the maintenance and upgradation of roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, largely due to the state government’s consistent allocation of funds towards these projects.
Minister further stated that the State Government is responsible for the maintenance and upgradation of roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, and no funding is provided by the Central Government for these works. However, the state has requested the Government of India to provide central funding for these initiatives. Since the inception of the scheme, a total of 8,193 roads spanning a length of 40,234 km have been constructed in the state, benefiting 10,590 eligible habitations. These all-weather roads are the only means of transportation for villagers in rural areas and are considered lifelines for them.
He explained that once the construction work is completed, the contractor is responsible for regular maintenance work for a period of five years. Inadequate maintenance of the constructed roads can cause damage, which is why the state government is taking adequate measures to ensure proper maintenance. Out of the total roads constructed, 3664 roads spanning a length of 17,577 km are under regular maintenance for five years, while the remaining roads require renewal after the completion of five years, after their construction. So far, a total of 5,609 roads spanning a length of 22,700 km have been successfully repaired and upgraded.
