Parliamentary panel flags outdated norms in PMGSY, seeks review to ensure rural connectivity
NEW DELHI: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has recommended a comprehensive revision of population and eligibility norms under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), flagging concerns that outdated benchmarks are leading to the exclusion of deserving rural habitations.
The panel, chaired by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, also suggested that government assistance for the construction of houses under the PMAY-G should be enhanced to Rs four lakh.
The committee stated that the identification and prioritisation of habitations under PMGSY continues to rely on “older population benchmarks and legacy data”, which in many areas no longer reflect the present demographic realities on the ground.
It observed that “dependence on outdated population parameters may result in exclusion of deserving habitations” and recommended a review of norms to better capture “present-day population realities and actual connectivity deprivation”.
The committee also raised concerns over districts classified as “saturated” under PMGSY, stating that “mere classification of a district as saturated cannot be a ground for overlooking habitations that remain genuinely unconnected”.
It pointed out that several habitations in forest-fringe, hilly and difficult areas still lack all-weather road connectivity, and called for a “fresh and detailed reassessment” of such districts to ensure “universal road access is actually achieved”.
The panel recommended that the department undertake a fresh and detailed reassessment of such districts, with special focus on habitations left out on account of forest and difficult-area constraints, and ensure that districts where genuine connectivity gaps continue are not treated as fully saturated till universal road access is actually achieved.
Further, the panel flagged delays in appraisal and approval of road proposals, noting that such lags “adversely affect execution timelines, escalate costs and delay the intended benefits”. It noted that “avoidable procedural delays defeat the core objective of the scheme”, and recommended streamlining approvals through defined timelines, better coordination with states and regular monitoring of pending proposals.
Regarding Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), the panel noted that the current per unit assistance “has remained static for a considerable period of time” despite rising costs of materials, labour and transportation.
It observed that beneficiaries are often compelled to mobilise additional resources, with “the actual expenditure significantly exceeding the present assistance”, and recommended that the assistance be enhanced to “a minimum of Rs 4 lakh per unit” to ensure construction of a durable house without financial distress.
The panel also called for the inclusion of landless households through a suitable policy framework, including land allotment or community-based models in coordination with states. (PTI)
