Parliament Question: Repair of Rural Roads

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 322 ANSWERED ON 12/08/2025 REPAIR OF RURAL ROADS *322. Shri Tanuj Punia:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether there is a delay in repairing rural roads damaged during last year, if so, the details thereof particularly in the Barabanki Lok Sabha Constituency;

(b) whether complaints have been received from the affected communities in this regard;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and

(d) the manner in which the Government checks the quality of repair of roads and ensure proper utilisation of the allocated funds? ANSWER MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Page 1 of 3STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *322 TO BE ANSWERED ON

12.08.2025 REGARDING “REPAIR OF RURAL ROADS”

(a) to (c): Maintenance of rural roads falls under the jurisdiction of the State Governments. As per the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) guidelines, all roads constructed under the scheme are covered by a five-year post-construction maintenance contract, awarded along with the main construction contract. The responsibility for ensuring timely and effective maintenance, including budgeting and fund placement, rests with the respective State Governments. Post the five years, the roads are to be maintained under zonal maintenance contracts, which include periodic renewal works, also funded by the States.

As reported by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, there has been no delay in the repair of damaged rural roads in the Barabanki Lok Sabha Constituency. The State is undertaking maintenance works through the e-MARG (electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads) portal, which provides real-time tracking and oversight of maintenance activities. The portal integrates a robust monitoring system with geo- tagged and time-stamped photographs of maintenance work, uploaded on a bi-monthly basis.

(d): To ensure the quality and proper utilisation of funds for rural road maintenance, the Ministry has instituted the following multi-

layered monitoring and enforcement mechanisms: i. Independent Quality Checks: The Ministry deploys National Quality Monitors (NQMs) to conduct random inspections of road works. Any instance of substandard work is promptly flagged to the concerned State for immediate corrective action.

ii. Digital oversight through e-MARG: The e-MARG portal, now operational in all States, enables effective tracking of road conditions and maintenance compliance during the Defect Liability Period (DLP). Uploads of geo-referenced photographic evidence ensure transparency and timely execution.

iii. Fund Release Linked to Performance: Central Share of the Programme funds under PMGSY is conditional upon the States Page 2 of 3fulfilling their maintenance obligations. States must certify release of a minimum percentage of the current year’s maintenance funds-50% for proposals submitted after May, and 100% for those submitted after November.

iv. Periodic Review & State-Level Monitoring: The Ministry regularly reviews fund utilisation and maintenance progress during review meetings with States/UTs. States are advised to undertake timely inspections and adhere to prescribed maintenance cycles.

v. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): Participation in the scheme mandates that each State/UT sign an MoU committing to adequate provisioning of funds for both the initial and extended maintenance phases.

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