Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Strict norms hit work on rural roads

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The rigid guidelines laid down by the Centre for taking up works under the Prime Minister’s Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are feared to upset rural road development in the State.

The scheme was launched for enhancing rural connectivity by forming eight-metre wide roads to link isolated hamlets with a minimum population of 500. Local self-government institutions could spend up to Rs.30 lakh to build a road.

The scheme was drawn up without considering the unique characteristics of the State. Apart from the fact that there are no isolated hamlets in the State, acquiring land for eight-metre wide roads even in the rural areas is difficult. Shifting of utilities was even more difficult. The gradient fixed by the Centre was also not compatible with the State’s topography.

Local Administration Department sources told The Hindu that the Centre had sanctioned Rs. 272 crore in 2007-08 for taking up 156 works under PMGSY. So far the government could spend only Rs. 59 crore in strict compliance with the guidelines. A specific timeframe has not been set for utilising the funds, but dilution of norms is not allowed. Hence fund utilisation for laying and improving rural roads is far from satisfactory.

The LSGIs will have to spend substantial sums from their funds for acquiring land and shifting utilities. Most of the panchayats face fund crunch and spending huge sums for these purposes do not figure in their priorities.

The previous UDF government had identified many roads under the scheme. But, complaints of violation of norms and neglect of certain areas on political grounds were aplenty. The works were moving at a snail’s pace without proper utilisation of funds.

Following repeated requests, the Centre had given conditional clearance to the State government to reduce the gradient and road width. But the Centre also said that only 100 motor vehicles should ply such roads a day. This directive would further impede the works, sources said.

Owing to the steep hike in bitumen, steel and cement prices, contractors refuse to take up such works. Unlike other schemes, PMGSY does not offer a scope for rate revision after signing the contract. The department has roped in the Ooralankal Labour Cooperative Society to execute the works in Kozhikode and Kannur, but there were no takers in other districts. Though other options were being explored to expend the sanctioned funds, a thorough change in the norms was imperative for effective utilisation of funds, sources said, adding that the government would complete the road network revision by this month-end.

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