Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has always accorded priority to rural connectivity because rural road infrastructure is seen as a key element of development. While the BJD government has been constructing roads in rural areas with its own funds, it has also been sincerely implementing the centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) across the state.
Acting under the instructions of Chief Minister Patnaik, the state has accelerated work for the construction of rural roads under PMGSY. While Odisha saw the construction of around 1,020 km roads as of December 31 last year, which provided all-weather connectivity to 163 rural habitations, it has witnessed the construction of more than 1,400 km over the past two and a half months.
The Ministry of Rural Development has given Odisha a target of constructing 2,700 kms of rural roads to provide connectivity to 326 habitations during the financial year ending March 31, 2022. A higher target was given to the state despite the challenge of tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.
But the Patnaik government has risen to the occasion gallantly by completing the construction of 2,424 km roads as of date, providing road connectivity to 191 habitations. Now it looks almost certain that the state will not only achieve the target set by the Centre but also exceed it. Recognized as the best-performing state in rural road construction, Odisha had created a record during 2018-19 by receiving three national awards for successful implementation of PMGSY. It won the first prize in achieving the highest length of road construction and highest length using green technology. The state was also the recipient of a prize in the better asset management category.
What is more important is that there has been significant progress in road construction in the tribal-dominated districts, with Koraput topping the list by completing over 278 km followed by Sundargarh (249 km), Rayagada (202 km), Malkangiri (188 km), Kandhamal (174 km), and Keonjhar (116 km).
As per the latest progress report, the Odisha government has completed the construction of 64,588 km out of the 69,373 km roads sanctioned. The achievement is 93 per cent. As many as 16,318 habitations out of 16,382 have been connected with 99 per cent achievement of the target.
The state has so far utilized Rs 28,422 crore out of Rs 31,937 crore sanctioned for the projects. The Centre has sanctioned 485 km under the Road Connectivity Project of Left-Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA). Odisha has completed 308 km and utilized Rs 294 crore out of the project cost of Rs 441 crore. The state government has, thus, been doing exceedingly well in this respect and its good work on the rural connectivity front will provide a massive push to the overall development of the state.
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