Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

Posted 04 Sep 2025

Updated 09 Sep 2025

3 min read

Article Summary

The PMGSY aims to connect rural areas with all-weather roads, but faces delays and quality issues, especially in LWE zones, which hinder socio-economic development and require better coordination and monitoring.

Why in the News?

The Parliamentary Standing Committee in its report has flagged slow progress of work under PMGSY in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas.

About PMGSY

Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development
Type: Launched in December 2000 as Centrally sponsored scheme
Objective:
- To provide all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected rural habitations as a strategy for poverty alleviation
- 62,500 km of all-weather roads to be constructed
- Bridges will be built/modernized along the alignment of these roads
Habitation Population Criteria for PMGSY: 500+ in Plains; 250+ in North-Eastern & Hill States and 100+ in LWE Affected Districtsas per Census 2011.

Salient Features of PMGSY:

Institutional Arrangements:
- National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA) provides technical & managerial support.
- State Rural Roads Development Agencies (SRRDAs) for state-level implementation.
Decentralized Planning: Full involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions, MLAs, and MPs.
Monitoring and Grievance Redressal Systems:
- OMMAS (Online Management, Monitoring, and Accounting System): Web-based system developed by C-DAC for PMGSY to enhance transparency and accountability in road construction projects.
- eMARG Platform: Uses geo-tagged photos from its mobile app to verify road maintenance work for payments and monitor contractor performance.
- Grievance Redressal: "Meri Sadak" App to address concerns related to slow pace, abandoned work or bad quality.
Use of New materials/Green technologies:
- Fly Ash, Lime, Polymers etc. for soil ecognizedn
- Portland Cement Concrete for White topping
- Cold Mix Asphalt for lower PM10 emissions and reduced energy consumption than Hot Mix Asphalt.
- Waste Plastic as a modifier for bituminous hot mixes.
- Coir geo-textiles are used for improvement of sub-grade soil strength in road pavements and stabilization of side slopes.
- Use of Iron, Copper and Steel slag increases resistance of the road to wear and tear.
- Bioengineering e.g. Jute/Bamboo for slope ecognizedn.

Observations of Committee about Scheme:

Issue	Observation	Recommendation
Low Bidding of Tenders	Contractors often quote 25–30% below minimum bid, raising quality concerns.	Form committee to assess impact of low bidding on road quality. Keep aside difference between minimum bid & quoted bid as security, which shall be released only after quality compliance.
Poor Quality of Construction of Roads and poor maintenance	Non-compliance with norms, use of poor materials, and failing to withstand weather, traffic, monsoons etc.	Department of Rural Development (DoRD) must enforce strict adherence to quality norms. Need for Stronger monitoring and accountability, shortlisting and blacklisting erring contractors.
Linkage of Unconnected Habitation	Roads often end at village periphery and many small settlements (Desam, Dhanis, Tolas, Majras, Hamlets) remain 2–3 km inside, missing connectivity benefits.	DoRD should review road connectivity policy to ensure roads reach actual unconnected habitations, not just village peripheries.
Lapses in Coordination between Centre and State	Projects often face delays due to logistical issues or late fund release by Centre/ States.	DoRD to devise a better cohesive mode of coordination along with an effective monitoring mechanism.
Slow Progress in LWE Areas	Pending work under Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Areas (RCPLWEA) despite extension of deadline to March 2025.	Challenges like insurgency, tough terrain, law-and-order issues, and forest clearances can be addressed through better planning, stakeholder coordination, and ecognized agencies like BRO. Adopt innovative, area-specific solutions to avoid further delays and ensure timely completion.

Conclusion

There is a close link between rural connectivity and socio-economic aspects, such as, economic growth, employment, education and health care. Effective implementation of PMGSY will bring rapid sustainable development and socio-economic transformation in rural India.