Finally some good news for villages with a population less than 1,000 and where roads are still a distant dream. As part of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), the Uttar Pradesh Rural Development department will construct metalled roads in villages where around or even less than 500 people reside.

Earlier, under the PMGSY, roads were constructed only in villages where the population was over 1,000 according to the 2001 census. Now villages, with 500 plus population and in a few cases, even smaller ones, will see metalled roads.

The department, being the nodal agency for the implementation of the Central scheme, plans to build roads worth Rs 4,200 crore in the next 18 months. The scheme will cover 3,500 villages and mainly focus on eastern UP and Bundelkhand regions.

Commissioner (Rural Development) Manoj Kumar Singh said the department wants to ensure that every village in the state is linked with a metal road. “Our surveys have shown that while such work has been done mostly in western UP, eastern part of the state and Bundelkhand are still left out. Hence, though we will ensure that the scheme is spread across the state, our focus will be mainly on these two regions,” he added.

This year, the department plans to increase its expenditure up to Rs 5,000 crore under the scheme. While projects worth Rs 4,200 crore have already been sanctioned, DPRs are being prepared for another Rs 500 crore. The district administrations have been asked to identify villages where roads are not being constructed under any other scheme to avoid duplication. It will also ensure that funds are utilised and spread evenly.

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