Odisha secures Rs.446 cr for rural roads

Adding to the rural road network of Odisha, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has recently sanctioned 166 road projects and 34 bridges entailing an estimated cost of Rs.446.53 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), said official sources claiming that the State Government‘s proposals were recently sanctioned by the empowered committee of the MoRD. Elaborating further they said adding that the Government proposed to construct and upgrade about 599 km of roads which will provide all-weather connectivity to 35 habitations. As the funding pattern between the Centre and the State under PMGSY is 60:40, the state will have to share Rs.205.42 crore while the Centre will provide an assistance of Rs.241.11 crore. With a target to construct 7,000 km of road during the current financial year, the Government has constructed 4,290 km till date connecting 800 habitations. In view of the good progress of rural road construction, the state is confident of exceeding the target by the end of the financial year. Declared as one of the best performing states in the rural road construction by the central rural department wing, Odisha has completed 11,338 km road projects out of 14,887 km, sanctioned by MoRD at an estimated cost of Rs.24,814.77 crore, they claimed.