Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India — Ministry of Rural Development PIB Delhi Read the original release on pib.gov.in
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Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while addressing the two-day National Thinking Camp of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) organized at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday, called upon the officers and engineers to not let this thinking camp remain just a formal “ritual”, but find concrete and innovative solutions to the practical difficulties faced on the ground. He clarified that the next phase of PMGSY should not be just about general construction but about ‘quality connectivity’. Union Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Kamlesh Paswan, Rural Development Secretary Shri Rohit Kansal and PMGSY Secretaries, Chief Engineers and experts from all the states and union territories were present in the program.
The path to developed India lies through village trails.
While starting his address, Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that respected Bapu had said that the path to developed India lies through the paths of fields and village streets. Unless the villages are developed, the overall development of the country is incomplete. While sharing his childhood memories, he told how he had to travel 13 kilometers on horseback through footpaths and mud to go from his village to study in Bhopal. He said, “I have seen with my own eyes the pain when, due to lack of roads, pregnant women and serious patients were carried on cots and they died on the way.”
Paying tribute to former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he recalled his famous lines and said that Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana has completely changed the picture of rural life and economy of the country. Till now, about 8.50 lakh kilometers of rural roads have been built in the country. Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he said that in the fourth phase of PMGSY (PMGSY-IV), the target of 62 thousand kilometers of new roads has been achieved, out of which 20 thousand kilometers have been approved and it has to be completed in a time bound manner.
The time limit of 72 days from approval to construction should be strictly followed.
Taking a tough stand on the delay in projects, Union Minister Shri Chouhan said that there is a time limit of 72 days from the time of approval to the start of construction work, but some states are violating it. He directed that complete accounts of such states should be prepared. He said that the tender process should be made completely time bound. Obstacles like frequent tender cancellations, non-receipt of bids etc. should be resolved in advance through ‘pre-tender planning’ as unnecessary delays increase the cost of construction material and delay projects.
'The game of letters should be stopped, take forest clearance through personal follow-up'
On the delay in forest and environment clearances, he clearly told the officials that sitting by writing letters just for the sake of formality is not the solution. He said, "The game of letter by letter will not work. There should be a yearning in the mind as to how the work should be done quickly. The officers should sit directly with the Environment Department and District Collectors and get the pending cases resolved outright."
Climate-friendly roads and scientific DPR formulation
Referring to the challenges of changing climate, floods, landslides and excessive rainfall, Shri Chouhan said that the country is full of diversities, hence one size fits all cannot be applied to every state and geographical area. While preparing DPR (Detail Project Report), special attention should be paid to the local slope, drainage, culverts and waterlogging conditions. He said that if a road is built and due to lack of drainage the villagers' houses get filled with water, then such a road has no meaning. Along with the road, culverts, strong drainage and plantation should be ensured.
Compromise on quality will not be tolerated, negligent agencies will be blacklisted
Taking a very strict stand on quality control, Union Minister Shivraj Singh said that any kind of compromise in construction will not be tolerated. If any agency does substandard construction, it should be immediately blacklisted and it should also be monitored that the same contractor is not able to enter into the work by forming a new company in the name of someone else or a relative. He gave strict instructions to the officers that they should not be limited to offices or aerial tours only, but should go to the field and conduct surprise inspections on the ground.
States performing better will get respect and preference
Shri Chouhan appreciated the states doing excellent work in various fields:
Leading states in quality: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
States better in maintenance: Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
New Technology (Full Depth Reclamation – FDR): Uttar Pradesh has done remarkable work in this.
QR coding of properties Innovation: The state of Assam has done a commendable job in this.
He announced that the states which complete the work on time and with high quality will be given weightage in the upcoming sanctions and will be rewarded by organizing a special felicitation ceremony for them. At the same time, poorly performing states will have to improve their working style.
5 year guarantee and ‘life cycle management’
Union Minister Shri Chouhan said that after construction, it is the responsibility of the concerned agency to maintain the road for 5 years. If early minor potholes are repaired immediately (preventive maintenance), the road remains safe for years. He directed not to limit the thinking only to construction but to focus on 'Life Cycle Management'. Also, he called upon the states to create a permanent financial arrangement for maintenance after the end of the 5 year guarantee period, as was done in Madhya Pradesh through Mandi Nidhi.
Work should be done on war footing in PM Janman and sensitive areas
He directed that under PM Janman Yojana, roads should be built on war footing in remote and Naxal affected areas of Chhattisgarh, Gadchiroli of Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh, because this is not just infrastructure but a true national service.
True patriotism: doing the work with complete honesty
Infusing new energy among the officers and engineers, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "In today's times, the greatest patriotism is to fulfill one's responsibilities with full dedication and honesty. The Prime Minister had said from the ramparts of the Red Fort that the government should not be confined only in files, but should be felt in the lives of the people." He said that the basic philosophy of PMGSY should be “Construction to Connectivity, Connectivity to Continuity and Continuity to Community”. He asked the participants of the camp to give original and practical suggestions out of the box instead of being dogmatic, which the government is fully prepared to include in its policies.
This is the official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and is published without changes.
