What do you mean by Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana?

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is the nation-wide programme to provide all-weather road connectivity to the unconnected and isolated villages in the country. It was launched by Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2000. It comes under the Ministry of Rural Development.

The main objective of the mission is the following:

• To provide roads to all villages with a population of 1000 people and above by 2003.

• To provide roads to all villages with a population of 500 people and above by 2007.

• To provide roads in hill stations, tribal and desert areas with a population of 500 people and above by 2003.

• To provide roads in hill stations, tribal and desert areas with a population of 250 people and above by 2007.

The programme has covered 1, 78, 184 people since its inauguration. By March 2019 all the states and union territories are expected to complete the phase I of the scheme. The scheme is completed at the ratio of 60:40 between centre and states except in the North Eastern states and Himalayan states where the ratio is 90:10. The scheme is supported by the World Bank from its commencement. The scheme also encourages the use of green technologies and non-conventional materials for construction.