Rural Connectivity Boost
- November 18, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Rural Connectivity Boost
Subject – Economy
Context – Focus on tribal, LWE-hit areas as Cabinet okays rural connectivity boost
Concept –
- The Cabinet Wednesday approved and extended schemes to improve road and telecom connectivity in villages, especially in tribal regions and areas affected by left-wing extremism (LWE).
- As per one of the decisions, 7,287 villages from 44 aspirational districts in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Odisha will get new telecom towers.
- The villages will get 4G connectivity and be able to access e-governance facilities.
- In the second decision the Cabinet approved the continuation of the phases 1 and 2 of the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana, till September 2022 for completion of the roads and bridge works that are yet to be finished under the first two phases.
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs also approved continuation of ‘Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas’ upto March 2023.
Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana
- Launched on: 25th December, 2000.
- Objective: To provide connectivity, by way of an all-weather road to unconnected habitations.
- Eligibility: Unconnected habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Deserts and Tribal Areas as per 2001 census) in the core network for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural population.
- An Unconnected Habitation is one with a population of designated size located at a distance of at least 500 metres or more (1.5 km of path distance in case of Hills) from an All-weather road or a connected Habitation.
- Core Network: It is that minimal Network of roads (routes) that is essential to provide Basic access to essential social and economic services to all eligible habitations in the selected areas through at least single all-weather road connectivity.
- Latest Funding Pattern: The Union Government bears 90% of the project cost in respect of projects sanctioned under the scheme in North-Eastern and Himalayan States, whereas for other states the Union Government bears 60% of the cost.
- Construction of Rural Roads: The Rural Roads constructed under the PMGSY will be in accordance with the provision of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC).
- IRC is the Apex Body of Highway Engineers in the country.
- The IRC was set up in 1934.
- PMGSY – Phase I was launched in December, 2000 as a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme.
- The Government of India subsequently launched PMGSY-II in 2013 for upgradation of 50,000 Kms of existing rural road network to improve its overall efficiency.
- While the ongoing PMGSY – I continued, under PMGSY phase II, the roads already built for village connectivity was to be upgraded to enhance rural infrastructure.
- The cost was shared between the centre and the states/UTs.
- Phase III was approved by the Cabinet during July 2019.It gives priorities to facilities like:
- Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) – GrAMs are retail agricultural markets in close proximity to the farm gate, that promote and service a more efficient transaction of the farmers’ produce.
- Higher Secondary Schools and
- Hospitals