Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana — Programme Guidelines

Part I - PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES
I. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Rural Road Connectivity is not only a key component of Rural Development
by promoting access to economic and social services and thereby generating
increased agricultural incomes and productive employment opportunities in India,
it is also as a result, a key ingredient in ensuring sustainable poverty reduction.
Notwithstanding the efforts made, over the years, at the State and Central levels,
through different Programmes, many Habitations in the country are still not
connected by All-weather roads. It is well known that even where connectivity has
been provided, the roads constructed are of such quality (due to poor construction
or maintenance) that they cannot always be categorised as All-weather roads.
1.2 With a view to redressing the situation, Government had launched the Pradhan
Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana on 25th December, 2000 to provide all-weather access
to eligible unconnected habitations. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana 1
(PMGSY) is a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme. ` 0.75/ liter out of the Cess on
High Speed Diesel (HSD) is earmarked for this Programme.
2. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
2.1 The primary objective of the PMGSY is to provide Connectivity, by way of an
All-weather Road (with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures, which
is operable throughout the year), to the eligible unconnected Habitations in the
rural areas with a population of 500 persons and above in Plain areas. In respect
of the Hill States (North-East, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir
and Uttarakhand), the Desert Areas (as identified in the Desert Development
Programme), the Tribal (Schedule V) areas and Selected Tribal and Backward
Districts (as identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Planning Commission)*
the objective would be to connect eligible unconnected Habitations with a population
of 250 persons and above.
( *Substituted vide Circular No. P-17025/39/2010-RC dated 10/3/2011 )
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana