Media reports say that the Union Cabinet on July 3 approved a proposal by the Rural Development Ministry to relax norms for Assam so that 1,877 unconnected habitats can get road connectivity under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). These habitats, having population ranging between 250 and 499, will now be connected new roads covering a length of 3,140 km.
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, in a letter, informed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi that the state is not classified as a hill state and only those habitations with 500 or more population were eligible for PMGSY road connectivity but the Cabinet has agreed to relax this norm for the state to bring the state at par with hill states where habitations with lesser population of 250 or more are qualified for the central road connectivity scheme.
The Cabinet approved a proposal of the ministry of rural development prepared following Ramesh visit to Tinsukia and Dibrugarh on September 8-9, 2012, to bring Assam at par with other NE states and allow PMGSY connectivity to all habitations with a population of over 250. Ramesh said the Cabinet brought about this change in the guidelines for the state following requests from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, (DoNER).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.