Govt apathy snaps rural connectivity in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Rural connectivity in Rajasthan gets a beating because of non-adherence of advice given by the ministry of rural development (MoRD). The Centre refused to release Rs 1,702 crore to the state after it failed to submit the phase-wise plans for the 4,102 km of rural roads.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Rajasthan government submitted the detailed project report to the ministry in 2014.It pitched for the construction of 1,406 road works covering 4,102 km with Rs 1,702 crore. However, after the project was reviewed by the national road development agency (NRDA), it advised Rajasthan government to stagger the proposal in batches in November 2014.
After more than five months, the state government is yet to send the proposal again to the ministry. In absence of any demand raised by the Rajasthan government, the ministry has withheld the money.
"A consolidated report was sent which was put before the inter-ministerial empowered committee chaired by the secretary of MoRD. It was communicated to us that the whole project should be divided in phases," said the official from public works department.
Meanwhile, due to financial strain the contractors in PMGSY have been asked to suspend the work temporarily. All the new projects have been put on hold at the moment. Presently projects of worth Rs 1,280 crore are ongoing in the state. The total liabilities are of Rs 318 crore while the amount received from the Centre has been Rs 350 crore.
"Till last year, we were getting enough money to carry on the projects. But due to paucity of funds, the payments to the contractors have become irregular and putting stress on some of the projects," claimed the official associate with the PMGY project in the state.
He said, "State PWD minister Yunus Khan had already apprised the Union minister Birendra Singh to look into the matter and release money to the state at the earliest".