JAMMU, June 10: In a good news for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Government has sanctioned a biggest ever package worth Rs 4224. 23 crores for 316 road projects under PMGSY-IV, to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.J&K is the first among all States /UTs which got sanction under PMGSY-IV today. The biggest ever package sanctioned for J&K under PMGSY will provide connectivity to 390 eligible habitations with population more than 250 souls.Official sources told the Excelsior that under this whopping package sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, a total road length of 1781.33 Kms will be covered, providing major boost to the rural road connectivity. Out of the total 316 road projects, majority of them will cover the rural roads of Jammu region as this region still has poor road network as compared to Kashmir region.
Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan for sanctioning 316 road projects in J&K UT, at an estimated cost of Rs 4224 crores under Batch-I of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV).
Sinha observed that the approved 1781 Kms road length will provide a major boost to rural road connectivity and usher in a new era of prosperity in far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Lieutenant Governor posted on X, “Grateful to PM Narendra Modi & Union Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan for sanctioning 316 road projects at an estimated cost of Rs 4224 cr under Batch-I of PMGSY-IV for providing connectivity to 390 number of eligible habitations.
“J&K is first among all States/UTs which got sanction under PMGSY-IV. It is also biggest ever package sanctioned for J&K under PMGSY. The approved 1781 Kms road length will provide major boost to rural road connectivity and usher in a new era of prosperity in far-flung areas.”It is pertinent to mention here that previously under PMGSY-III package funds to the tune of over Rs 2330 crores were sanctioned for total 229 rural roads and 66 bridges in Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the projects sanctioned previously pertained to upgradation of roads.
Sources further disclosed that for the construction of 66 small and medium bridges, an amount of Rs 377.91 crores was sanctioned last time, while there are no bridge projects under fresh package, sanctioned under Batch-I of PMGSY-IV today.
For 223 rural road projects in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir last time, an amount worth Rs 1952.42 crores was sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Rural Development. Whereas, under fresh package, all the roads sanctioned pertained to new rural road connectivity and not the upgradation of already constructed roads.
The average cost of road per kilometer under fresh package has been projected as Rs 237.14 lakhs.
Sources further revealed that out of the total sanctioned amount this year, the share of J&K UT has been projected as Rs 422.42 crores while the share of Ministry of Rural Development will be Rs 3801.80 crores.
