CCEA approves Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism affected areas

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Affected Areas to improve rural road connectivity in worst LWE affected districts critical from security and communication point of view.
The project will be implemented under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to provide all weather road connectivity in 44 worst affected LWE districts and adjoining districts.

Key Facts

• The Union Ministry of Rural Development will be the implementing Ministry as well as sponsoring Ministry of this project during implementation period four years from 2016-17 to 2019-20.
• The fund sharing pattern of LWE road project will be same as that of PMGSY i.e. in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and States for all States.
• However the ration will be 90:10 for eight North Eastern and three Himalayan States (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir & Uttarakhand).

About Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas

• This project is envisaged in LWE States including the 35 worst affected LWE districts which account for 90% of total LWE violence in the country.
• The all-weather roads taken up under this scheme includes Other District Roads (ODRs), Village Roads (VRs) and upgradation of existing Major District Roads (MDRs) that are critical from security point of view.
• Besides, bridges up to a span of 100 meters which are critical from security angle will also be funded on these roads. The National Highways and the State Highways are excluded from this project.
• The roads to be constructed under this project have been identified by Union Ministry of Home Affairs in close consultation with the State Governments and the security agencies.

About Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

PMGSY is Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2000 with the objective to provide all-weather road connectivity to all eligible unconnected habitations in rural areas of the country. The programme envisages connecting all eligible unconnected habitations with a population of 500 persons and above (as per 2001 Census) in plain areas and 250 persons and above (as per 2001 Census) in Special Category States, Desert Areas (as identified in Desert Development Programme), Tribal (Schedule-V) areas and in Select Tribal and Backward Districts (as identified by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs/Planning Commission).

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2016