Govt clears Rs. 4,440cr for rural roads

Giving further push to Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the Union Government has recently cleared road proposals worth Rs. 4,440 crore covering country side roads in states including Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab, among others.

Union Rural Development Minister C P Joshi in a statement said that with the latest approval the government to date had approved proposals both under PMGSY and Bharat Nirman to the tune of Rs. 40,000 crore. Rural road projects worth Rs. 236 crore and Rs. 197 crore had been cleared for the Moist infested areas of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh respectively, while rural areas of Punjab secured road projects of Rs. 235 crore.

Apart from this, the government is all set to launch the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in October on the Gandhi Jayanti. The restructured Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), which has been aimed at stretching the reach of micro-credit and imparting skill development among the poorest strata of society is being readied for launch on the same day, he claimed.