Central Government had informed Parliament that 99% of rural Habitats eligible for PMGSY now receive year-round access to a roads in J&K.
This should not be viewed just as an accomplishment but rather, it represents the transformation that this type of infrastructure will provide for families, both rural and urban, living in remote, isolated regions of India.
The Minister shared that there are currently 2140 Habitats identified as eligible to receive PMGSY roads. Of those Habitats, 2132 are now alive and connected to the road network.
The PMGSY was created to fill the gaps caused by geographic separation from the road system by providing roads that would allow rural Villagers to travel any time of year, without being affected by road conditions or weather.
It is something we cannot overstate the importance of more than 99% of rural Habitats having access to an all-weather road means so much more to Villagers than just having a means of transportation.
The announcement will allow pregnant women to get to the hospital, farmers to transport their apples or saffron to market without losing their product, and school children to walk to school without worrying about being left behind due to sudden weather changes (rain/snow).
Health care, education, and economic opportunity have previously been limited to those who have the ability to access them financially but following this announcement these resources will now be available to everyone.
The government has also stated that they will continue to provide 100% access to all citizens. Based on statistics we see that they are continuing their plan to remove any last mile connectivity gaps.
The government has demonstrated their commitment to holding contractors accountable for their timely execution of services through the termination of contracts with those that have not performed under the terms of their contracts and for poor service. This will send a clear message to all companies that there will be no tolerance for substandard performance.
We will also direct that all roadways are safe, will last for a long time and require no periodic maintenance throughout the year. Additionally, we will ensure we continue to maintain roadway systems that may become inaccessible due to weather inclement conditions.
