Executive Summary:
This document addresses a query regarding the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Kerala. It provides updates on the progress of PMGSY-III, including road completion, package locking in the eMARG system, and payment delays. It also discusses the initiation of PMGSY-IV and its implementation in Kerala. The completion timeline for ongoing PMGSY-III works is extended to March 2026.
Key Points / Main Content:
PMGSY-III Progress in Kerala:
- Sanctioned: 1421.06 kms of roads sanctioned.
- Completed: 732.45 kms completed as of 18.07.2025.
- Completion Timeline: Extended to March 2026.
eMARG System and Road Maintenance:
- Routine Maintenance: Starts immediately after road work completion and entry into OMMAS (Online Monitoring, Maintenance and Accounting System).
- eMARG Locking: 78 roads (351.64 km) locked in eMARG as of 14th July, 2025, making them eligible for routine inspection.
- Package Pushing: No roads pending for locking in eMARG as of 17th July, 2025, according to the State.
Payment Delays:
- Reasons: Delays in pushing packages to eMARG and contractor bill submission.
- Bill Generation: Bills generated bi-monthly (6 bills per year).
- Routine Inspections: Field engineers must conduct routine inspections and performance evaluations within the stipulated time after bill submission.
- Miscellaneous Addition Facility: Withdrawn due to misuse, but regular bill submission and validation processes on eMARG are unaffected.
- OMMAS Data Correction: No PMGSY roads are pending for OMMAS data correction.
PMGSY-IV Implementation:
- Approval: Approved on 11th September 2024.
- Objective: To provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected habitations based on population size as per Census 2011.
- Target: Construction of 62,500 km of road length at a cost of ₹70,125 crore during 2024-25 to 2028-29.
- Current Status: States/UTs, including Kerala, are identifying eligible habitations; Central Government is working with the State to facilitate proposal submission.
Timeline Extension:
- PMGSY-III: Extended to March 2026 based on requests from States/UTs.
- PMGSY-IV: Implementation scheduled from Financial Year 2024-25 to 2028-29.
Impact Analysis:
State Rural Roads Development Agency (SRRDA) Officials:
- Impact: Responsible for pushing packages to eMARG, locking packages, and entering manual expenditure.
- Action Required: Ensure timely pushing and locking of packages in eMARG.
Field Engineers:
- Impact: Responsible for routine inspection of completed road works and performance evaluation.
- Action Required: Conduct routine inspections and performance evaluations within the stipulated time after bill submission.
Contractors:
- Impact: Submission of bills for completed road works and maintenance.
- Action Required: Submit bills promptly to avoid payment delays.
State Government of Kerala:
- Impact: Responsible for identifying eligible habitations and submitting proposals under PMGSY-IV.
- Action Required: Identify eligible habitations as per program guidelines and submit proposals to the Central Government.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana: A rural road connectivity program in India. Also referred to as PMGSY.
Kerala: A state in India where the implementation of PMGSY is being reviewed.
PMGSY III: Phase III of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana program.
eMARG: Electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads, an IT application used for managing maintenance of rural roads under PMGSY.
OMMAS: Online Monitoring, Maintenance and Accounting System, used in conjunction with PMGSY for monitoring and accounting purposes.
State Rural Roads Development Agency: SRRDA, the agency responsible for implementing PMGSY at the state level.
PMGSY IV: Phase IV of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana program.
SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH: Member of Parliament who raised questions about the implementation of PMGSY in Kerala.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 278
ANSWERED ON 22/07/2025
PENDING WORKS UNDER PMGSY-III IN KERALA
278. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether a significant number of works sanctioned under
Pradhan MantriGraminSadakYojana-III (PMGSY-III) in Kerala
are still pending due to delayed payments or package locking
issues in the eMARG system;
(b) if so, the total number of such pending packages, and the
reasons for the delay, including technical limitations such as
the absence of a "miscellaneous addition" feature in eMARG
and prolonged delays in unlocking packages sent to OMMS for
data correction;
(c) whether the new phase of PMGSY, commonly referred to as
PMGSY-IV, has been initiated in Kerala, and whether there is
any scope for inclusion of new road proposals under this
phase;
(d) if not, the current status of implementation of PMGSY-IV in the
State, including the number of works identified, approved and
those pending for administrative sanction; and
(e) whether the Government proposes to extend timelines for
projects under both PMGSY-III and PMGSY-IV, if so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a) & (b): Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY)-
III, the State of Kerala has been sanctioned 1421.06 kms out of
which 732.45 kms have been completed, as on 18.07.2025. The
timeline for completion of ongoing PMGSY III works is March, 2026.
Page 1 of 3Whenever a road work is completed and the details entered
in PMGSY MIS i.e. OMMAS (Online Monitoring, Maintenance and
Accounting System), routine maintenance starts from the next date.
The completed road work packages are pushed to an IT application
viz. electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads (eMARG) from OMMAS.
After confirming all package details, the package is locked in
eMARG by State Rural Roads Development Agency (SRRDA). Any
manual expenditure incurred before pushing the road work to
eMARG is entered by SRRDA. Only after completing this process,
the road inspection can be carried out by field engineers for
verifying bills raised by the contractor.
As on 14th July, 2025, 78 roads of 351.64 km have been locked
in eMARG by the State of Kerala. These roads are eligible for routine
inspection. The pushing of packages, locking, manual expenditure
etc. is done by the SRRDA officials using eMarg and OMMAS. The
State has informed that as on 17th July, 2025 there is no road
pending for locking.
The State has further informed that due to reasons such as
delay in pushing the package to eMARG and delay in submission of
bills by contractors some bills could not be paid. Bills are generated
bimonthly i.e. 6 bills in a year. Any bill submission by a Contractor is
to be followed up by Routine Inspection by field Engineer within
prescribed timeline. The State of Kerala has been requested to
instruct the field engineers to attend to Routine Inspections and
consequential performance evaluation within the stipulated time.
The "miscellaneous addition" facility was for minor
adjustments in maintenance payments due to valid reasons;
however it was observed that it was used for substantial payments
deviating from the maintenance bills and hence withdrawn. This
does not affect the regular submission of maintenance bills and
timely validation process on eMARG.
No PMGSY road is pending for OMMAS data correction as on
date.
(c) & (d): The Government has approved phase IV of PMGSY on
11th September 2024 to provide all-weather road connectivity to
25,000 unconnected habitations of population size 500+ in plains,
250+ in NE & Hill States/UTs, special category areas (Tribal
Schedule V, Aspirational Districts/Blocks, Desert areas) and 100+ in
LWE affected areas (notified by MHA in 9 States), as per Census
2011. A total of 62,500 km of road length is proposed to be
constructed at a cost of ₹ 70,125 crore during the period from 2024-
25 to 2028-29.
Page 2 of 3Under PMGSY-IV, States/UTs including Kerala are identifying
eligible habitations as per the programme guidelines. The Central
Government is working closely with the State to facilitate
submission of proposals under the programme.
(e): The original timeline for the completion of PMGSY-III was set
for March 2025. However, based on requests received from various
States and Union Territories, the Government has approved an
extension of the timeline to March 2026 for completion of ongoing
projects. Further, PMGSY-IV, which was approved in September
2024, is scheduled to be implemented during the period from
Financial Year 2024-25 to 2028-29.
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