Maintenance of rural roads constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is the responsibility of the State Government. As per programme guidelines, State Governments are required to undertake the maintenance of the entire Core Network, particularly the road works constructed/upgraded under the PMGSY. All road works are covered by initial five year maintenance contracts to be entered into along with the construction contract, with the same contractor, as per the Standard Bidding Document. State Governments are required to develop sustainable sources of funding for undertaking maintenance functions. The Ministry of Rural Development have extended support to the States in the maintenance management of rural roads. So far 25 States (Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal) have notified rural road maintenance policies for maintenance management of all categories of rural roads in a systematic manner in order to ensure the sustainability of these assets and to provide traffic worthy road connectivity.

With effect from the financial year 2016-17, financial incentives are given to best performing States, which show higher achievement on the basis of set-parameters. The funds released as financial incentives are used for periodic maintenance of rural roads already constructed under PMGSY. Financial incentives amounting to Rs. 1076.49 crore and Rs. 842.50 crore were awarded in fiscal year 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively for periodic maintenance to best performing States.

In order to encourage locally available materials and use of green technologies, guidelines were issued by the Ministry, wherein the State Governments are required to propose minimum 15% of total length of annual proposals under New technologies such as Cement stabilization, Lime stabilization, Cold mix, Waste plastics, Cell filled concrete, Paneled cement concrete pavement, Fly ash etc. Ministry has sanctioned 54,494 Km of road length so far under New Technology and 21,995 Km have been completed as on 6^th December, 2018.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri  Ram Kripal Yadav in Lok Sabha today.

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APS/AS