Itanagar, March 9 Arunachal Pradesh Rural Works Department (RWD) Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona informed the Assembly on Monday that 1,254 out of the 1,309 roads sanctioned for the state under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) have been completed, while the remaining projects are yet to be finished due to various challenges.
Responding to a Zero Hour discussion raised by Congress MLA Kumar Waii, the minister said that the government has been prioritizing the construction and upgradation of rural roads to strengthen connectivity in remote and interior parts of the state.
Sona said that the incomplete roads under PMGSY Phase-I are mostly located in remote and difficult areas where several constraints have affected the pace of construction.
He pointed out that Arunachal Pradesh experiences a prolonged monsoon season, leaving a limited window for carrying out construction activities.
The minister further said that the state's rugged and mountainous terrain poses additional challenges, including landslides, heavy rainfall, and other natural factors. He also stated that local issues such as land compensation disputes often delay road construction works, although compensation is not a component under the PMGSY scheme.
Appealing for public cooperation, Sona said that roads are meant for the benefit of the people and therefore local communities should support construction activities rather than creating hurdles.
He also urged villagers to monitor road construction works in their respective areas to ensure transparency and quality.
Highlighting another issue, the minister said that the use of nanotechnology in road construction introduced by the Centre has not been successful in Arunachal Pradesh due to the state's unique terrain and climatic conditions.
"The matter has been raised with the central government at various levels," he said, adding that no positive response has been received so far.
Sona further said that the Centre has declined to extend the deadline for completion of unfinished roads under PMGSY Phase-I. However, the state government has requested the Centre to allow an extension till March next year to enable completion of the remaining works.
He added that the state government has also submitted a proposal to the Centre seeking relaxation of the population criteria under PMGSY so that more habitations in Arunachal Pradesh can be connected with all-weather roads.
The minister added that apart from the centrally sponsored PMGSY projects, the state government is also undertaking additional road construction works under the state plan to bridge connectivity gaps in areas that are not covered under the scheme.
He said that road projects are also being taken up under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive State Rural Development Programme (CMCSRDP) as a stop-gap arrangement to improve rural connectivity.
PMGSY-I, the first phase of the centrally sponsored rural road scheme, was launched to provide all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitations.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the programme has played a crucial role in linking remote villages with district headquarters and improving access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and markets.