Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways addresses questions regarding road connectivity in tribal and backward areas since 2014. It details the kilometers of roads constructed, the observed positive changes, the number of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) road projects, and the government's consideration of financial incentives to strengthen the PPP model. The report references data from April 2014 to August 2025 and findings from an Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore study covering 2014-2022.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Road Connectivity and Construction:**
* The Ministry is responsible for the development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs), connecting aspirational and tribal districts.
* Since April 2014, 108,743 km of NHs have been constructed, including those connecting various districts.
* 4,775 km of NHs were constructed within tribal districts in the last five years and current year.
* 7,517 km of NHs have been constructed in Madhya Pradesh since April 2014.
* **Impact of National Highway Development (based on IIM Bangalore study 2014-2022):**
* Every one-rupee expenditure in NH development leads to a 3.2 increase in GDP.
* Transportation time between factories and suppliers decreased by 9.19% in treatment districts.
* Transportation time between factories and customers decreased by 4.93% in treatment districts.
* Time to access schools decreased by 16.6% in treatment districts.
* Time to access health services decreased by 9% in treatment districts.
* Average time to reach Mandis decreased by 7% in treatment districts.
* The average number of Mandis accessed increased by 8% in treatment districts.
* Last mile connectivity to essential centers is the responsibility of State Governments.
* **Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Projects:**
* 217 NHs projects (8,025 km length, costing 3.23 Lakh Crore) are currently under construction under the PPP model.
* **Financial Incentives and Policy Reforms:**
* The Government is considering new financial incentive schemes and policy reforms to strengthen the PPP model.
* Initiatives include reforms in Model Concession Agreements, Toll Operate and Transfer (TOT) models, and Stakeholder Conferences.
Impact Analysis:
Stakeholders Impacted: Government (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
Impact: Responsible for continued development and maintenance of NHs and for attracting private players to invest in road projects.
Action Required: Continue to develop NHs based on traffic density, connectivity requirements, road conditions and synergy with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP), consider implementing new financial incentive schemes and policy reforms to strengthen the PPP model.
Stakeholders Impacted: State Governments
Impact: Responsible for last-mile connectivity to agricultural centers, schools, healthcare centers, and tourism centers.
Action Required: Focus on improving last mile connectivity to improve access to essential services.
Stakeholders Impacted: Private Investors/Concessionaires/Financiers
Impact: Potential beneficiaries of new financial incentive schemes and policy reforms in the road development sector.
Action Required: Participate in Stakeholder Conferences, assess investment opportunities, and address concerns related to PPP projects.
Stakeholders Impacted: Citizens/Communities in Aspirational and Tribal Districts
Impact: Benefit from improved connectivity, reduced transportation times, and increased access to schools, healthcare, and markets.
Action Required: Utilize improved infrastructure for economic and social development.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The Indian government ministry primarily responsible for the development and maintenance of National Highways.
National Highways (NHs): The highways for which the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is primarily responsible for development and maintenance.
Madhya Pradesh: A state in India where 7,517 km of National Highways have been constructed since April 2014.
SHRI GANESH SINGH: Member of Parliament who raised the question about connecting tribal and backward areas to the road network.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways who provided the answer to the parliamentary question.
PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP): A national master plan used in synergy with the development and maintenance of National Highways.
Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore: The institution that conducted the study on the impact of the development of National Highways projects between 2014-2022.
Public Private Partnership (PPP): A model under which 217 NHs projects are currently being implemented in the country.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3068
ANSWERED ON 07TH AUGUST, 2025
CONNECTING TRIBAL AND BACKWARD AREAS
†3068. SHRI GANESH SINGH:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the number of villages, tribal regions or backward areas across
the country that have been connected to the road network since the
year 2014 which earlier remained unconnected, villagewise and
region/area-wise;
(b) the total number of kilometres of roads constructed under
National Highways, State Highways, rural roads and inter-
connectivity road projects in Madhya Pradesh since the year 2014;
(c) the tangible and non-tangible positive changes observed as a
result thereof in areas such as agricultural marketing, access to
schools and healthcare, investment attraction and tourism;
(d) the number of road projects currently being implemented under
the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model; and
(e) whether the Government is considering new financial incentive
schemes or policy reforms to further strengthen this model and if
so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) to (c) The Government in Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways is primarily responsible for development and maintenanceof National Highways (NHs). All the aspirational and tribal districts
are connected with the NH network.
Development and maintenance of NHs, including NHs
providing connectivity to aspirational and tribal districts and other
districts, is a continuous process. Works on NHs, including capacity
augmentation, are accordingly taken up based on the traffic density,
connectivity requirement, condition of the road, inter-se priority and
synergy with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).
NHs are primarily meant for long distance
connectivity. Government has constructed 1,08,743 km of NHs,
including NHs connecting large cities, urban areas, villages,
aspirational and tribal districts, and other districts since April, 2014.
This includes 4,775 km length constructed as part of NHs projects
confined within one or more adjoining tribal districts during the last
five years and current year.
Government has constructed 7,517 km of NHs in the State of
Madhya Pradesh since April, 2014.
Based on the study by Indian Institute of Management,
Bangalore on impact of development of National Highways projects
(2014-2022) in the country, broad findings are as under:-
i. Every one-rupee expenditure in National Highway
development leads to a ₹ 3.2 increase in GDP;
ii. The time taken for transportation between factories and
suppliers has decreased by 9.19% in treatment districts vis-
à-vis control districts;
iii. The time taken for transportation between factories and
customers has decreased by 4.93% in treatment districts as
compared to control districts;
iv. The time to access schools has decreased by 16.6% in
treatment districts vis-à-vis control districts;
v. There has been a 9% reduction in time to access health
services in treatment districts as compared to control
districts;
vi. The average time to reach Mandis decreased by 7% in
treatment districts as compared to control districts; andvii. The average number of Mandis accessed increased by 8% in
treatment districts as compared to control districts.
Although Government is continuously engaged in the
development of NHs to boost the economy, the responsibility for
the last mile connectivity to agricultural centers, schools, health
care centers, tourism centers etc. lies with State Government only.
(d) At present, 217 NHs projects in 8,025 km length costing ₹ 3.23
Lakh Crore are under construction in the country under the Public-
Private Partnership (PPP) model.
(e) To attract more private players and make investment
opportunities more attractive, the Government has taken several
initiatives like reforms in Model Concession Agreement for PPP
Projects, reforms in model contracts for monetization of NHs
through Toll Operate and Transfer (TOT) basis, Stakeholder
Conferences held with concessionaires, financiers, and major
government bodies to showcase investment opportunities to private
players as well as understand & address investors' concerns etc.
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