Rethinking Rural Roads: A Call for Updated Norms in PMGSY

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development has recommended a complete revision of the population and eligibility criteria under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The committee, led by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, expressed concerns over outdated benchmarks leading to the exclusion of deserving rural areas.

The report underscores the reliance on old population data that fails to reflect current demographic conditions. It emphasizes the need to reassess districts previously classified as 'saturated' with special attention to unconnected habitations in forest-fringe and hilly terrains, advocating for universal road connectivity.

In addition, the committee pointed out procedural delays affecting road proposal approvals, urging better coordination and monitoring. Furthermore, it recommends increasing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) housing assistance to Rs 4 lakh per unit to alleviate beneficiary fiscal strain and supports land policy reforms for landless households.