PRADHAN
MANTRI GRAM SADAK YOJANA
GUIDELINES
1. Introduction
1.1 Rural Road Connectivity is not
only a key component of Rural Development in India, it is also recognised as an
effective Poverty reduction Programme. Notwithstanding the efforts made, over the
years, at the State and Central levels, through different Programmes, about 40%
of the Habitations in the country are still not connected by All-weather roads.
It is well known that even where connectivity has been provided, the roads
constructed are of such quality that they cannot be categorised as All-weather
roads.
1.2 Government have resolved to
provide Rural Road Connectivity to all habitations and accordingly decided that
50% of the Cess on High Speed Diesel (HSD) would be earmarked for this Programme.
Accordingly, Rs. 2500 crore (being 50% of the Cess on High Speed Diesel (HSD)
has been earmarked for the purpose during the year 2000-2001.
1.3 On the 15th August
2000, the Prime minister announced a Centrally Sponsored Scheme called the
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana with the objective of connecting, within next
three years, every village that has a population of more than 1000 through good
All-weather roads and every village of more than 500 persons similarly
connected by the year 2007. The budget for the year 2000-01 indicates the flow
of funds for Rural Roads as Additional Central Assistance. Since this has been
taken into consideration while determining the Plan size of States, it is
proposed to retain the arrangement as such for this year. From the year 2001-02
onwards, it is proposed to commence a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with the
same objectives.
2. Programme
Objectives and Coverage
2.1 The objective of the
Government is to provide Road Connectivity, through good All-weather roads, to
all Rural Habitations with a population of more than 500 persons by the year
2007 (end of Tenth Plan period). In the process, all unconnected Habitations
having a population of more than 1000 persons would be covered in the next
three years. Accordingly, for the year 2000-2001, the Programme would cover
Habitations having a population of more than 1000 persons. Where a State has no
uncovered Habitation of this population size, smaller Habitations may also be
covered, subject to the minimum population size being 500. In case of
hilly/desert tracts, this may not be less than 250.
2.2 The primary focus of the
Programme will be on construction of new roads. However, upgradation (to
prescribed standards) of existing roads will be permitted to be taken up under
the Programme so as to achieve connectivity through good All-weather roads. In
taking up upgradation, the population norms indicated in Para 2.1 above shall
be observed. Upgradation would involve conversion, depending on the need, of
Gravel roads / Water Bound Macadam (WBM) roads to Black-Topped (B.T.).
Extension of existing roads to the SC/ST Habitation in the village would also
be covered under upgradation. Upgradation would, however, not cover repairs of
existing Roads.
2.3 The Programme shall cover only
‘Other District Roads’ (ODRs) and ‘Village Roads’ (VRs).
2.4 The Rural Roads to be
taken up will, by and large, be surfaced roads (black topped / cement
concrete). However, depending upon the soil conditions, All-weather roads may
also be Gravel Roads, but with all necessary cross- drainage structures.
3.
Implementation of the Programme
3.1 Each State Government / UT
Administration would identify one or two suitable Agencies (having a presence
in all the Districts and with established competence in executing time-bound
programmes), to be designated as Executing Agencies.
3.2 At the District level, the
Programme will be planned, co-ordinated, and implemented through the Executing
Agencies. A Programme Implementation Unit (PIU), entirely directed towards this
Programme, will be set up in all the Districts concerned. All PIUs will be
manned by competent technical personnel from amongst the available staff or
through deputationists and no new posts will be created for the purpose.
3.3 The State Governments will
establish suitable linkages in this behalf with the District Rural Development
Agencies (DRDAs). Funds would be released to the concerned DRDAs for the year
2000-2001.
District Rural Roads Plan
3.4 The PIU will formulate a
Master Plan for each Block indicating the Habitations in that Block and the
existing status of road connectivity, including the proposed new construction
as well as roads requiring upgradation. Roads under construction under other
Schemes such as RIDF, the erstwhile BMS, externally- aided projects or State/
District Sector Schemes should also be clearly specified. This shall thereupon
be integrated into a District Master Plan, to be called the District Rural
Roads Plan. The Plans so prepared would be subject to close technical scrutiny
so as to arrive at the most economical cost of achieving the targets of the
Programme and would also indicate the spacing of execution of works. The Master
Plan would be approved in the Governing Body of the respective DRDA, taking
into account the views and suggestions of the local Members of Parliament and
Members of State Assembly.
State Level Standing
Committee
3.5 The DRDA will, thereupon,
forward the Master Plan to the State-level Standing Committee, set up by the
State Government (ideally headed by the Chief Secretary), to ensure close and
effective monitoring of the Programme. Upon approval by the said Standing
Committee, the project proposals would be forwarded by the State Government to
the Ministry of Rural Development.
3.6 It will be the responsibility
of the Standing Committee to oversee that lands are available for taking up the
proposed road works. A Certificate to this effect will accompany all the
proposals. No provision is to be made for Land Acquisition under this
Programme.
Empowered Committee
3.7 At the Central level, the
Project proposals received from the State Governments would be considered by an
Empowered Committee (to be chaired by Secretary, Department of Rural
Development) and including the AS& FA, Ministry of Rural Development;
Advisor/Additional Adviser (Transport), Planning Commission; Director, Central
Road Research Institute, New Delhi; One Expert to be nominated by the Ministry
of Rural Development; and Joint Secretary (RC), Department of Rural Development
as Members. The Deputy Secretary/Director handling the Programme in the
Ministry of Rural Development would be the Convener. The representatives of the
State Government, whose projects are being considered by the Empowered
Committee, may be invited to attend the Meetings, as and when required. The
Recommendations of the Empowered Committee would, thereafter, be submitted to
the Minister of Rural Development for further orders / approval.
4. Execution of
Works
4.1 On clearance of the Project
proposals, the relevant projects would be executed by the PIUs and completed
within a period of 9 months, from the date of approval; in exceptional cases,
this period may extend up to 12 months. Delayed execution of projects could
also hold up further sanctions.
4.2 The well-established procedure
for tendering, through competitive bidding, would be followed for all projects.
The projects would be tendered in packages of appropriate size (between Rs. 1
crore to Rs. 5 crore).
4.3 The road works, including the
Cross Drainage works, will be executed as per the technical specifications
prescribed by the Ministry of Surface Transport / Indian Roads Congress. The
Ministry of Rural Development will, in due course, issue further Guidelines in
this regard. Special care will be taken in coastal areas etc. to see that the
shoulders are duly consolidated. Use of locally available material, including
products like Fly Ash, should be encouraged subject to adherence to technical
norms. The roads must have proper drainage facilities. The bridges may be so
designed as to serve, where feasible, as Bridge-cum-Bandharas. No lead charge
would be payable for transportation of soil (except in case of Black Cotton
soil).
4.4 Time/Cost over-runs (and
consequent cost escalations) will not be permitted and, in such an eventuality,
the State Government concerned would have to bear the additional expenditure.
To avoid such a contingency, the Executing Agency will incorporate suitable
Penalty Clauses in the Contract.
4.5 The roads constructed under
this Programme are expected to be of very high standard, requiring no major
repairs for at least five (5) years after completion of construction. In order
to realise this objective, suitable clauses relating to Performance Guarantee
shall be included in the Contract Documents.
4.6 Planting of fruit bearing and
other suitable trees, on both sides of the roads, would be one of the contract
conditions.
4.7 It will be the responsibility
of the PIUs to ensure timely payments to the contractors. Each Roadwork will be
photographed at three stages – beginning, middle and at the final stages.
4.8 The Ministry of Rural
Development will indicate the design of a logo, road borders and all relevant
information and these will be duly installed.
5. Supervision
of Works and Quality Control
5.1 Quality of works being the
essence of this Programme, all works will be effectively supervised. It will be
the prime responsibility of the PIU to make certain that the work done (and all
the materials utilised in the same) conforms to the prescribed specifications.
In addition to checking the quality of materials at site, the steps warranted
in this direction should include:
5.2 Periodic inspections of works
will be carried out by the Competent supervisory Authority/ies of the Executing
Agency. It will be necessary for the Executing Agencies to set up Quality
Control Units, independent of the PIU.
5.3 The State-level Standing
Committee will oversee that the supervision of works is continuous and
effective.
5.4 The Ministry of Rural
Development will engage Independent Monitors (Individuals / Agency) for
inspection of works under the Programme. It will be the responsibility of the
PIU to facilitate the inspection of works by the Monitors, who shall be given
free access to all records, administrative, technical and financial.
6. Monitoring
6.1 The Ministry of Rural
Development would evolve a suitable software for an "On-line Management
& Monitoring System". The State authorities are advised to equip the
PIUs with necessary Computer Hardware to enable on-line monitoring. The cost of
the Hardware may be included in the Project cost. The cost would also include
the cost of digitisation of maps, for which the Ministry of Rural Development
would issue separate Guidelines.
6.2 The Ministry of Rural Development
will in co-operation with the Nodal Department for the Programme at the State
Level organise suitable Training Programmes for the PIU personnel.
6.3. The Ministry of Rural
Development will prescribe Periodical Reports and Returns for monitoring the
performance and progress of Projects taken up under this Programme.
7. Maintenance
of Rural Roads
7.1 The Rural Roads constructed
/upgraded under this Programme will be maintained by the concerned Panchayati
Raj Institution (District Panchayat/ Intermediate Panchayat). The concerned
Panchayati Raj Institutions would need to be identified while submitting the
project for approval and the State Authorities will be required to furnish an
Undertaking that they would remit (to the identified Panchayati Raj Institution),
from the State Government funds, the requisite cost of maintenance. The State
Governments will also offer an Undertaking for the release of maintenance
costs, alongwith their project proposals. The Ministry of Rural Development
would oversee the implementation of this undertaking.
7.2 Efforts will be made to
involve local people’s participation in the maintenance of Rural Roads.
Suitable mechanisms and procedures will be evolved by the State Governments in
consultation with the Ministry of Rural Development.
8. Funding
8.1 For this year (2000-2001)
only, funds under the Programme are being provided by the Centre to the States
as Additional Central Assistance (ACA) and will follow the normal pattern of
Additional Central Assistance. The Ministry of Rural Development will indicate
the manner of release of funds, possibly including an "On-line payment
system" for the Programme from the next financial year.
8.2 The Ministry of Rural
Development may allocate additional funds to any State taking into consideration,
inter alia, the Special Problems / Needs of specific areas.
8.3 For the year, 2000-2001, the
cost of the approved Projects will be released to the concerned DRDAs, through
the State Governments, in two Instalments. The release will be made by the
Ministry of Finance on the recommendations of the Ministry of Rural
Development. State Governments will be required to transfer funds to the
concerned DRDAs within 15 days of release by Government of India. The fund will
be non-lapsable at the DRDA level.
8.4 It will be incumbent on the
DRDAs to open a separate and single Bank account for the funds received under
this Programme. These funds will remain entirely separate from those of any
other Programme/Scheme. The interest earned on this Account will not be
diverted to any other Programme, even on temporary basis.
8.5 The funds for the Second
Instalment will be released after fulfilment of procedures prescribed by the
Ministry of Rural Development, which will include satisfactory reports from
Independent Monitors engaged by the Ministry of Rural Development. For the year
2000-2001 alone, the Ministry of Rural Development may release the entire
approved cost in one Instalment, subject to the total release being limited to
the allocation for the State/UT.
8.6 The Head of the PIU, subject
to not being below the rank of an Executive Engineer, will be competent to
operate on this Account, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the
State Government concerned. The funds earmarked for each Project are to be
utilised for that Project only. The Head of the PIU will send a Monthly Account
to the Project Director, DRDA. The Second Instalment for each Project will be
claimed by the Project Director, DRDA, through the State Government.
8.7 It will be open to the State
Government to nominate the Head of the District PIU as the ex-officio Project
Director, DRDA for the purposes of this Programme.
9. Accounts
& Audit
9.1 The well-established
accounting system of the Works Departments would be utilised for this
Programme. The Ministry of Rural Development may evolve suitable accounting
procedures, including computer-based ones, keeping in view the normal
procedures that are in force.
9.2 The Ministry of Rural
Development would lay down the Audit requirements for the Programme. In
addition to such Audit procedures as may be prescribed, the works under this
Programme would be subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and
Auditor-General of India (C&AG). The Audit of the work done would cover
aspects of quality, in addition to financial audit.
9.3 All the road works will be
subjected to Social Audit by way of discussion in the Gram Sabha. Relevant
information in this regard will be made available to the Gram Sabha. State
governments will issue necessary instructions in this regard.
10.
Miscellaneous
10.1 No Agency charges will be
admissible for road works taken up under this Programme. The Executing Agencies
will not levy charges in any form, such as Centage charges etc.
10.2 The Ministry of Rural
Development may allow costs incidental to execution of the road works, such as
Telephone and other Office expenses, and costs of travel and may lay down
suitable Guidelines in this regard. Such costs would be treated as Project
expenses and would be debited to the Project Cost.
10.3 To maintain quality and
ensure timely completion of works, the Ministry of Rural Development will lay
down a scheme of incentives / disincentives to the States / Districts.
10.4 The Ministry of Rural
Development may, from time to time, issue such directions as may be necessary
for smooth implementation of the Programme.
10.5 For the year 2000-2001 only,
the Project proposals may include the road works initiated under the erstwhile
Basic Minimum Services (BMS) Programme which are still incomplete. The Project
proposals should clearly specify the value of the work done under the BMS
component and the value of the work remaining incomplete. Such works shall be
completed within the specified period.
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