Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has so far spent Rs 31,113.68 crore on the construction of roads and bridges in rural areas under Central schemes – Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA), according to Union Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.
In a recent reply to a question from Kalahandi MP Basanta Kumar Panda, Jyoti said the highest of Rs 2,372.66 crore was spent in Mayurbhanj under the scheme. While Rs 2,230.09 crore was utilised in the Koraput district, Rs 2,060.46 crore was spent on the construction of roads and bridges in Sundargarh district under the Central schemes.
Similarly, Rs 1,616.05 crore was spent under the PMGSY in Kalahandi district, Rs 1,521 crore in Keonjhar, Rs 1,517.31 crore in Rayagada, Rs 1,459.37 crore in Ganjam, Rs 1,312.63 crore in Balasore, Rs 1,192.65 crore in Puri, Rs 1,142.89 crore in Malkangiri, Rs 1,137.92 crore in Bolangir, Rs 1,036.74 crore in Gajapati and Rs 1,034.10 crore in Cuttack. The lowest expenditure of Rs 204.78 crore was made in Jharsuguda district whereas only Rs 246.85 crore was spent in Boudh, Rs 343.86 crore in Deogarh and Rs 493.75 crore in Jagatsinghpur, the minister said.
A total of 17,900 road projects having a total length of 74,538 km and 704 bridges have been sanctioned under PMGSY-I, II, and III and RCPLWEA in the state. Of these, 17,069 road projects and 559 bridges have been completed, while 831 road projects and 145 bridges are under progress, the minister pointed out. Under PMGSY-I, a total of 15,808 road and 523 bridge projects were sanctioned, of which only 21 roads and 14 bridges are yet to be completed. Similarly, out of 636 road and 30 bridge projects sanctioned under PMGSY-II, 634 roads and 29 bridges have been completed. A total of 1,404 roads and 149 bridges were sanctioned under PMGSY-III, of which, 617 road projects and 21 bridges have been completed so far. Out of 52 road and two bridge projects taken up under RCPLWEA, 31 roads have been completed, the minister further said.