Parliament Question: Gram Sadak Survey App under PMGSY

O.I.H.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4191 ANSWERED ON 19/08/2025 GRAM SADAK SURVEY APP UNDER PMGSY

4191. Shri BidyutBaranMahato:

Dr. K Sudhakar:

Shri DineshbhaiMakwana:

Shri BalabhadraMajhi:

Smt. KamleshJangde:

Smt. SmitaUdayWagh:

Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the manner in which the Government is leveraging Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana Phase IV to expand all-weather rural connectivity, particularly in areas requiring focused development assistance, State and district-wise including Maharashtra and JalgaonLokSabha Constituency;

(b) the details of key innovations and strategic refinements introduced under PMGSY Phase IV;

(c) the manner in which these innovations and refinements build upon the successes of previous phases to enhance efficiency and equity in rural road development;

(d) the manner in which digital tools such as the Gram Sadak Survey App enhancing transparency, data-driven planning and beneficiary targeting under PMGSY and the progress observed in implementation so far;

(e) the manner in which PMGSY Phase-IV prioritising areas with low connectivity indices;

(f) the manner in which equitable access to infrastructure being ensured through need-based planning and the measures undertaken to integrate environmental safeguards under the said scheme particularly in hilly and ecologically sensitive areas; and

(g) the manner in which environmental compliance being monitored during the project execution? Page 1 of 5ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)

(a): Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana-IV (PMGSY-IV) has been launched in 2024 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 North East & Hill States/UTs, special category areas (Tribal Schedule V, Aspirational Districts/ Blocks, Desert areas) and 100+ in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, as per Census 2011. The scheme is being implemented across the country, including in Maharashtra. All States/UTs have conducted a fresh survey to identify eligible habitations through the Gram Sadak Survey app under PMGSY-IV, which is specifically designed for transparency and accuracy. The Ministry has started sanctioning projects under PMSY-IV and is closely working with States/UTs for the timely sanctioning of targeted Road projects under PMGSY-IV.

(b) & (c): The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is continuously incorporating the latest technologies in the implementation of various verticals of the PMGSY, which has enhanced the transparency and data driven planning in the programme.

Focusing towards new vertical of PMGSY-IV, the Ministry has developed a mobile application called the PMGSY Gram Sadak Survey (GSS) Mobile App, specifically designed for digital mapping of PMGSY-IV unconnected habitations, including cluster-based habitations.

The planning for PMGSY roads, based on the data obtained from the survey app, is being undertaken on PM Gati Shakti which has an integrated and holistic approach to infrastructure planning and development. Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics (BISAG-N) has developed a Geo- Spatial AI Tool on PM Gati Shakti for PMGSY Detailed Project Report

(DPR) preparation based on the road projects' requirements.

Page 2 of 5The Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS) i.e. the programme MIS has been upgraded to record road proposal processing and recommendations for enhancing accountability and transparency. The Project Monitoring Information System of PMGSY has been strengthened for better project monitoring and recording of progress through geotagged, timestamped data.

The PMGSY IV has also incorporated the concept of stage passing by the first tier of quality monitoring i.e. the Programme Implementation Units for strenthening quality monitoring efforts of PMGSY roads.

The Ministry has entered into MoU with the States for post Defect Liability Period (DLP) maintenance of PMGSY roads. The eMARG module i.e. the maintenance MIS of the programme facilitates monitoring of post DLP maintenance of PMGSY roads.

(d): The Ministry has developed a mobile application called the PMGSY Gram Sadak Survey Mobile App, specifically designed for digital mapping of PMGSY-IV unconnected habitations. Habitation Geo Tagging mobile app enables the mapping of unconnected habitations. The app enables users to capture the proposed alignment as well as the geo-tagged photos of essential facilities, such as schools, primary health centers, gram mandis, and banks, along it. The app offers offline functionality, allowing users to map remote areas with limited or no internet connectivity.

(e): PMGSY is an area development scheme, hence connectivity is not being provided by social sector categories. Under PMGSY IV, the population criteria for selection of unconnected habitations is 500+ in plains, 250+ in Hill States/ UTs and North-Eastern Region

(NER), Special Category Areas (Tribal Schedule-V Areas, Desert Areas, Aspirational Blocks/ Districts) and 100+ in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas (areas notified by MHA) in 9 States as per Census 2011. The PMGSY IV is being implemented in convergence with DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram UtkarshAbhiyan and Pradhan MantriAnusuchitJaatiAbhyudayYojana (PM-AJAY), and Page 3 of 5priority will be given to unconnected habitations identified under

these programmes based on the following criteria:

DhartiAabaJanjatiya Gram UtkarshAbhiyan :

(i) 500 or more population and 50% or more ST population as per Census 2011

(ii) 50 or more ST population in 250+ population category in Aspirational Districts as per Census 2011.

Under PM-AJAY, habitations focused on 500 or more population and 40% or more SC population as per Census 2011.

In addition to the above, Pradhan MantriJanjatiAdivasiNyayaMahaAbhiyan (PM-JANMAN) road connectivity component is also being implemented as a separate vertical under PMGSY with implementation period upto the financial year 2027-28. A target of 8000 Km has been given under the component, out of which 6,506 Km have been sanctioned so far.

(f) & (g): Rural roads under PMGSY are constructed and maintained as per the technical specifications and geometric design standards given in the Ministry of Rural Development Specifications for Rural Roads, Rural Roads Manual of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) (IRC-SP:20) and also, where required, the Hill Road Manual (IRC:SP:48) and other relevant IRC Codes & Manuals.

To promote adoption of new/ green technology in the construction of rural roads using new materials/ waste materials/ locally available materials under PMGSY, the Ministry has issued “Vision Document on New Technology Initiatives Guidelines-2022”.

States are encouraged to adopt new/ green technologies in construction of rural roads.

Wherever forest land is involved in construction of PMGSY roads, State implementation agencies are required to take clearance from Forest Department as per law. **** Page 4 of 5Page 5 of 5