Rural road scheme: States push for wider coverage

New Delhi: States have drawn up an ambitious, albeit tentative, list of 49,449 habitations for coverage under the latest phase of the central government’s flagship rural road scheme until 2028-29, which is almost double the number of habitations that were proposed to be connected with all-weather roads.

This could lead to the government either prolonging the implementation of the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) with a larger outlay or introducing a new one upon its expiry in 2028-29 to cover all eligible habitations in hinterlands, people aware of the details said.