Parliament Question: Connectivity in Tribal Habitations of Waynad

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3830 ANSWERED ON 12/08/2025 CONNECTIVITY IN TRIBAL HABITATIONS OF WAYNAD

3830. Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the details of initiatives taken to improve connectivity to tribal habitations in Wayanad Lok Sabha Constituency;

(b) the details of unconnected tribal habitations in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency proposed to be covered under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV).

(c) whether the Government proposes to relax the population criteria for aspirational districts to ensure 100% connectivity to all tribal habitations; and

(d) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a) & (b): The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched in 2000, as a one time special dispensation, for providing connectivity to eligible unconnected habitations in the country.

Subsequently PMGSY II was launched for consolidation of rural roads network and PMGSY III for providing improved connectivity to schools, Gramin Agriculture Markets and hospitals.

A total of 54 roads of length 203 Km have been constructed under various verticals of PMGSY in Wayanad District, as on 8-8-2025.

Parliament Constituency wise details are not maintained by the Ministry.

PMGSY-IV has been launched for construction of 62,500 km of all-weather roads (single lane) to provide connectivity to about 25,000 unconnected habitations of population size 500+ in plains, 250+ in NE & Hill states/ UTs, special category areas (Tribal Schedule Page 1 of 2V, Aspirational Districts/ Blocks, Desert areas) and 100+ in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, as per Census 2011. The survey work to identify the eligible unconnected habitation as per population eligibility norms has been completed. The PMGSY Phase-IV will be implemented from 2024–2025 to 2028–2029. The Central Government is working in close coordination with the States to facilitate submission of proposals, including from Kerala, under PMGSY IV.

Under the PM-JANMAN, meeting of Pre - Empowerment Committee has already been conducted on 24th April, 2025 for discussing 3 Road Proposals of Length 3.48 Km for providing all weather road connectivity to 3 unconnected habitations of which 2 are from Waynad District and 1 is from Palakkad District of Kerala.

The State has informed that a number of tribal habitations have been tentatively identified in Wayanad District as unconnected during the PMGSY-IV survey. As per the PMGSY IV guidelines, the proposals for new connectivity to unconnected habitations are to be approved by the district Panchayat, keeping in view interalia the suggestions received from Hon'ble Members of Parliament and considering the programme guidelines. The proposals, as per the approved Comprehensive New Connectivity Priority List are placed them before the State-level Standing Committee (SLSC) which recommends the habitations for consideration for sanction to the Central Government.

As on 8-8-2025 no recommendations of the State Government of Kerala have been received for according sanction under PMGSY IV.

(c) & (d): There is no proposal at present to relax the population criterion at present for aspirational districts under PMGSY IV. ***** Page 2 of 2