PMGSY: The National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency has issued four significant directives concerning the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. These directives will be applicable nationwide, including in Himachal Pradesh. Compliance with these directives is a prerequisite for any state to qualify for road construction in the fourth phase of PMGSY.
Notably, a majority of the PMGSY projects will now be executed online under the supervision of the Union Ministry of Rural Development. The Public Works Department (PWD) is required to submit requests for road construction, along with quality-related information and photographs post-completion, to the Central Government via the designated website. This will enable Central Government officials to oversee the construction of roads in even the most remote areas of Himachal Pradesh from their offices in Delhi.
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Prior to the approval of roads in the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the PWD must navigate four critical requirements set forth by the Union Ministry of Rural Development. Initially, the Ministry has requested data regarding the population of Scheduled Castes and Tribes from the states. Subsequently, the PWD will be obligated to upload this information onto the Online Management Monitoring and Accounting System (OMAS).
The implementation of the new connectivity priority (CNCPL) will soon be executed on a large scale. This initiative will allow for the identification of densely populated regions on the Gram Sadak Survey App at the block level. Additionally, the roads proposed for repair in the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) will also be showcased through Online Monitoring Applications (OMAs). Upon the completion of this process, the fourth phase of PMGSY will receive approval via OMAs.
Himachal Pradesh is anticipated to receive a budget exceeding 4,000 crores for this fourth phase. This budget may also include a specific allocation for the enhancement of 1,200 kilometers of older roads constructed during the second phase. According to the new regulations set forth by the Union Ministry of Rural Development, road construction can now commence in areas with a significant population of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The districts of Bharmour, Pangi, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur have been designated as tribal areas based on geographical criteria.