Team News Riveting
Raipur, November 10
The road network laid across villages in Chhattisgarh over the past 25 years has transformed the state’s rural road connectivity.
Now, the transformation brought about by the new roads can be felt in the state’s villages. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in 2000 to connect rural areas across the country with all-weather roads. The scheme proved to be transformative for both the country and the state.
Nearly 40,000 km of roads have been built in Chhattisgarh through this scheme. Before the formation of the state, the road network here was lower than even the northeastern states. At that time, rural areas had only 4,200 km of roads. In this situation, the standard of living of the people here was easily understood. When this scheme was launched in the country, a new era of rural prosperity began. Roads are not just a means of transportation, but also a vehicle for socio-economic transformation.
Currently, a robust network of rural roads has provided a strong foundation for fulfilling the dream of good governance and Antyodaya. Today, farmers in Chhattisgarh are able to easily transport paddy from their barns to procurement centers. Rations are easily available in rural areas through the public distribution system. Cases of irregularities in Anganwadi nutrition are no longer seen. Roads are also proving helpful in expanding access to health services.
Roads have increased mobility among people. People are adopting new means of employment and self-employment. People in rural areas recall the old days when village roads were very difficult. Often, they had to cross rivers and streams to reach one village after another. This scheme has given them new strength. Now, with the roads being asphalted and bridges being built, transportation has become easier.
In the first 16 years of Chhattisgarh’s existence, rural road construction was rapid. Approximately 32,000 kilometers of paved roads and bridges were constructed. These roads connected more than 10,500 settlements. To date, the project has completed the construction of 8,310 roads and 426 major bridges, totaling 40,415 km. In the second and third phases of the project, 10-year-old roads were strengthened and upgraded. In this phase, construction of 534 roads and 82 major bridges, totaling 5,583 km, has been completed. All approved projects have been completed 100%.
This project has proven effective in eliminating Naxalism in the state’s Left-Wing Extremism-affected districts. 12,459 km of roads have been constructed in these areas. This also connected 3,853 settlements to the mainstream, giving a new dimension to livelihoods, education, health, and security in these areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the inauguration ceremony of the State Festival, commended the state, saying, “I used to visit Chhattisgarh even before the state’s formation. At that time, reaching villages was extremely difficult. Many villages had no roads at all. In the past 25 years, the state has made tremendous progress. Today, the state boasts a network of roads spanning over 40,000 kilometers.
Deputy Chief Minister and Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Vijay Sharma said that the connectivity of villages and empowerment of rural people in Chhattisgarh is a powerful example of Chhattisgarh’s continued efforts towards the goal of a self-reliant India under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai. He informed that in the fourth phase, more than 8,000 kilometers of roads are planned in tribal areas and villages dominated by particularly backward tribes. Roads will be prioritized in settlements under the Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana, and aspirational districts.”
