Centre to Fund Rural Road Construction in Bihar Following Proposal Submission
Funding for Rural Roads in Bihar
On Wednesday, Kamlesh Paswan, the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, announced that the central government is prepared to allocate funds for the development of rural roads in Bihar. This funding will be released promptly once the state government submits its proposal after completing the necessary survey. Currently, a survey is being conducted for the construction of 45,000 kilometers of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), with an estimated cost of ₹76,000 crore, as part of its fourth phase.
Paswan emphasized the importance of timely submission of the survey report, stating that the quicker the state provides this information, the sooner the funds will be disbursed. He noted that Jammu and Kashmir, as a union territory, was the first to submit its survey report, leading to the immediate release of funds. He urged Bihar officials to expedite their survey submission.
During a meeting with Bihar's rural development minister Shrawan Kumar and rural works minister Ashok Choudhary, along with other senior officials, Paswan received various suggestions and requests related to MGNREGA, PMGSY, and road construction. He assured that their demands would be taken into serious consideration and addressed as soon as possible.
Highlighting the achievements of the central government over the past 11 years under Narendra Modi's leadership, Paswan mentioned significant advancements in infrastructure, including road and air connectivity, as well as healthcare facilities. He pointed out that numerous Vande Bharat trains are now operational across the nation and noted that the Prime Minister has visited Bihar over 51 times in the last decade, indicating a promising future for the state.
Later, Minister Shrawan Kumar raised concerns regarding outstanding dues of ₹200 crore related to MGNREGA and urged the central government to expedite the release of these funds. He also requested the union minister to finalize the allocation of remaining houses under the PM Awas Yojana for individuals from the Extremely Backward Class, SC, and ST communities. Kumar highlighted that there are currently 94 lakh homeless families in Bihar, a number that may rise further due to relaxed criteria for housing under PMAY. Additionally, he mentioned that the state government is working on constructing 6,800 playgrounds through MGNREGA and has requested the central government to release the necessary funds for this initiative.