Maharashtra gets Rs. 489 cr central aid to improve rural roads.

The Maharashtra Government has received Rs. 489 crore to improve the rural road network under the Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana-II .

Initially, Maharashtra had received little Union Government assistance under the scheme compared to other states, as the State's road connectivity was considered satisfactory. However, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan continued to pursue the need for central funding for rural roads with Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.

An Empowered Committee meeting held recently approved Maharashtra's proposal for building 829 km length rural roads during the year. Of this, Solapur (126 km), Pune (88 km), Latur (71 km) and Osmanabad (53.35 km) are the largest beneficiary districts.

In a letter written to Chavan, Jairam Ramesh has conveyed that Batch II of Maharashtra's proposal under the scheme for 227 roads having a road length of 1,550 km, would be taken up during the next Empowered Committee Meeting to be held on January 7.


HBL