Parliament Question: Unconnected Habitations under PMGSY-IV

O.I.H. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 121 ANSWERED ON 28/07/2026 UNCONNECTED HABITATIONS UNDER PMGSY-IV *121. Dr. Rajesh Mishra: Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) the details and number of unconnected habitations in the country targeted to be connected under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-IV, State-wise; (b) the total budget allocated in this regard under the said scheme; (c) the number of settlements identified under the said scheme in the Sidhi Lok Sabha Constituency; (d) the details and number of proposals for the construction of roads received, surveyed and approved under the said scheme; (e) the policy adopted for repair of old and dilapidated roads under the Scheme; and (f) whether contractors are mandatorily required to maintain the roads constructed under the said scheme for a period of five years and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN) (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House. Page 1 of 3STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *121 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2026 REGARDING “UNCONNECTED HABITATIONS UNDER PMGSY-IV” (a) & (b): The Union Cabinet approved Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV), for implementation during FY 2024–25 to FY 2028–29 with the target to provide all-weather road connectivity (construction of 62,500 km of roads) to 25,000 eligible unconnected habitations across the country with a total outlay of Rs.70,125 crore. There is no state-wise target under PMGSY-IV. The eligibility criteria of the habitations to be provided connectivity under PMGSY-IV based on population norms of Census 2011 are as follows: i. Habitations with a population of 500 and above in plains, ii. Habitations with a population of 250 and above in Special Category States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir and Uttarakhand), Special Category Areas [Tribal Schedule-V Areas, Desert Areas, Aspirational Blocks/ Districts and Hilly areas as notified by the respective State Government (cross slope more than 25% gradient and the elevation is more than 600 metres from the Mean Sea Level)] and iii. Habitations with a population of 100 and above in LWE affected Districts including Legacy & Thrust Districts identified by MHA from time to time. (c) & (d): As per Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS), in the State of Madhya Pradesh under Sidhi Lok Sabha Constituency, a total of 994 habitations have been identified/surveyed by the State under PMGSY-IV using GIS mapping tool “Gram Sadak Survey App” on Gati Shakti platform and out of which, 968 habitations has been verified by National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA). Till date, proposals for 31 road works of 64.90 km with a value of Rs. 42.95 crore have been received for Sidhi Lok Sabha Constituency and the same have been approved by the Ministry on 15.05.2026 alongwith the other proposals of the State of Madhya Pradesh. (e): "Rural Roads" is a State subject. PMGSY is a one-time special intervention for new connectivity through construction of roads and upgrading existing strategic rural links. The policy framework for old, damaged or dilapidated roads is as follows: Page 2 of 3 Post-Defect Liability Period: Beyond the initial 5-year Defect Liability Period (DLP) which is built in the original sanctioned proposal, routine maintenance and periodic renewal of PMGSY roads are the responsibility of the respective State Governments. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and the States/UTs makes it mandatory for the States to maintain the roads sanctioned under PMGSY for a minimum period of 10 years.  Upgradation under PMGSY-II & III: Dilapidated existing Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to rural growth centres under PMGSY-II & Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), higher secondary schools, and hospitals were taken up for up gradation under PMGSY-III based on Comprehensive Upgradation Priority Lists (CUCPL). A total of 49,778 km and 1,22,038 km of road length were sanctioned under PMGSY II and III respectively across the states out of which 49,130 km and 1,08,954 km have been completed as on 22.07.2026.  PMGSY Maintenance Policy: States are required to formulate Rural Road Maintenance Policies, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry, and make provision for adequate maintenance funds in a separate account managed by State Rural Roads Development Agencies (SRRDAs). (f): Under the PMGSY Standard Bidding Document (SBD), contractors who construct or upgrade a road are mandatorily required to maintain the road for a 5-year Defect Liability Period (DLP) post-construction. Key features include: i. Integrated Contracting: Construction and 5-year routine maintenance contracts are awarded simultaneously to the same contractor. ii. Performance-Based Monitoring via e-MARG: Routine maintenance payments during the DLP are processed online through the Electronic Maintenance of PMGSY Roads (eMARG) web portal, where Field Engineers conduct bi-monthly inspections and upload geo-tagged photos before certifying payments. iii. Defect Rectification: If inspections by Program Implementation Units (PIUs), State Quality Monitors (SQMs), or National Quality Monitors (NQMs) reveal defects or unsatisfactory conditions during the 5-year DLP, the contractor is contractually bound to rectify them at their own cost. Failure to do so leads to performance security forfeiture and blacklisting as per guidelines. ***** Page 3 of 3