Assam seeks grant for road maintenance

Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday sought from the Centre special provisions and grants for maintenance of roads which are washed away in recurring flood and erosion in the state. Several Union ministers, including Rural Development Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar, here reviewed rural development schemes and their implementation in Assam with the Chief Minister, according to an official release.

Sonowal said, recurring flood and erosion posed a threat and requested Tomar to consider Assam as a special category state on these two issues and declare special schemes for socio-economic development. On the rural infrastructure, Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act (MGNREGA), it was decided during the meeting to accord highest priority to the work envisaged under Deendayal Upadhaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana. Among others, issues of rural skills, connectivity, livelihood, affordable housing, and infrastructure with focus on rural economy were also discussed during the meeting, the statement said.