News Detail

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">As an extension of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), Bihar government on Thursday launched its Mukhya Mantri Gram Sampark Yojna (MMGSY) with CM Nitish Kumar laying the foundation of 970 roads measuring 1,505 Km across 27 districts, involving an expenditure of INR 1,168.57 crore. These rural link roads will connect the habitations having a minimum population of 250.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The remaining 11 districts, which are included in Integrated Action Plan (IAP), have already been covered under PMGSY which has been extended to the habitations of 250 in 6 Left extremist-hit districts. Under the PMGSY, habitations having a population of 500 are taken up for road construction.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Addressing the engineers and officials of rural works department (RWD) and Bihar Rural Road Development Authority, the CM said 32,200 habitations have been identified where about 38,000km roads would be constructed in the next five years. He said the government has submitted plan for funds to Finance Commission and also approached ADB and World Bank.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&quot;Bihar&#39;s socioeconomic and educational situation will undergo a big change with the road network. It provides connectivity and market to the farmers,&quot; said Nitish while stating that the scheme has also been included in the agriculture road map. He said efforts would be made to get funds from other sources as well.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">The CM said RWD has a bigger network than the road construction department (RCD) and its road will be brought under the new road maintenance policy. He said maintenance of roads is more important than construction. It is bad investment if the constructed roads were not maintained, he said, and advised the rural roads should be divided into various categories for maintenance. Nitish suggested that like the RCD, the RWD should also have road ambulance for repair and maintenance. The CM also cautioned the engineers against the misuse of funds and said it would not be tolerated.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">RWD minister Bhim Singh said scheme of monthly monitoring of maintenance work has been enforced and he is also visiting districts to monitor the work and speak to the engineers. RWD secretary B Rajender said the 970 roads of which foundation was laid by the CM through videoconferencing will be constructed in one year.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>