Budget lays more stress on Rural Roads

The total budgetary support for rural roads in 2009-10 Rs.12000 crore out of which a provision of Rs.1067 crore have been earmarked for North-Eastern Region and Sikkim. This is an increase of 59% over BE 2008-09. The Budget was presented in Lok Sabha by Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee today.

Rural Roads have been identified as one of the six components of Bharat Nirman with the goal to provide connectivity to all villages with a population of 1000 (500 in the case of hilly or tribal areas) with an all-weather road by 2009. To achieve the targets of Bharat Nirman, 1,46,185 kms of road length is proposed to be constructed by 2009. This will benefit 59,564 unconnected eligible habitations in the country. To ensure full farm to market connectivity, it is also proposed to upgrade 1,94,132 kms of the existing Associated Through Routes. A sum of approximately Rs.48,000 crore is proposed to be invested to achieve this.

In order to provide support to rural roads under PMGSY, two Externally Aided Projects namely, Rural Roads Sector Project I and II and Rural Roads Projects I and II are being implemented in various States with the assistance provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank respectively. In addition, an allocation of Rs.6500 crore has been made as loan for PMGSY through the RIDF window of NABARD as IEBR for the year.

Source : Equity Bulls

Keywords