J&K 3rd in implementing PMGSY: Rural development ministry

According to official statistics from the Union Ministry of Rural Development, Jammu and Kashmir ranks third in development of its rural road network under the Prime Minister’s Village Road Scheme (PMGSY) after Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Between 2001 and 2022, at least 3,139 km of roads were constructed in the Union Territory connecting 114 settlements, while six J&K districts out of 30 districts of the country under this program achieved maximum length of road construction in the same period.

PMGSY was launched at J&K in 2001-02 to provide all-weather connectivity to uninhabited housing in rural areas with a population of over 250 according to the 2001 census.

The Ministry of Rural Development approved 3,347 projects under PMGSY-I for construction of 18,432.79 km of roads at a cost of Rs. Under PMGYS-II, 107 projects with a length of 704.55 km were approved at a cost of Rs.790.49 crore.

The six rural districts of the Jammu region – Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Riyasi, Kathua and Rajouri – have shown rapid development. Among them, Udhampur was the top-performing district with completion of 644.05 km road network in 2021-22, followed by Doda (362.5 km), Kishtwar (302.88 km), Reasi (299 km), Kathua (275.88 km) and Rajouri. (215.98 km), according to official figures.

From 2001 to 2015, the J&K government completed 1,024 PMGSY schemes connecting 993 dwellings by constructing a 3,641.82 km road network at a cost of Rs 2,232.71 crore.

In 2015-16, 163 schemes (707.2 km) were completed at a cost of Rs 305.23 crore, providing connectivity to 85 housing units in the Union Territory. In 2016-17, 89 schemes (1,785.16 km) were completed which connected 238 dwellings at a cost of Rs 428.3 crore, according to official data.

In 2017-18, 151 schemes (1,804.54 km) were completed at a cost of Rs 827.37 crore, providing connections to 153 dwellings. In 2018-19, 226 schemes (1,622.2 km) have been completed and 221 dwellings have been connected at a cost of Rs 910.72 crore. In 2019-20, 214 schemes (1,325.67 km) were completed at a cost of Rs 1,324.12 crore, connecting 148 dwellings in J&K.