Gandhinagar, Jan 28 (IANS) The Gujarat government, on Wednesday, approved a major infrastructure initiative aimed at improving road connectivity in the state’s tribal regions under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar.
Addressing the media after the meeting, state government Spokesperson and Minister Jitu Vaghani said that 1,614 tribal hamlets that have never been connected by roads will be linked for the first time with paved and all-weather roads.
He added that the project will be implemented in the first phase at an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore and will involve the construction of 2,020 km of roads.
Minister Vaghani said the hamlets were identified based on norms laid down in the national Census, conducted in 2011.
Under these criteria, normal areas with a population of more than 500 and tribal areas with a population of over 250 were considered eligible.
“The objective is to ensure basic connectivity in remote tribal areas that have remained cut off from the road network for decades,” Minister Vaghani added.
The Minister said the initiative is part of PMGSY Phase IV, under which a comprehensive survey was conducted in tribal regions across the state.
The survey identified a total of 4,781 hamlets lacking road connectivity.
Of these, 1,614 hamlets have been prioritised for inclusion in the first phase of the project.
According to the state government, the new road network is expected to benefit an estimated population of more than eight lakh people living in 1,699 hamlets across tribal areas.
Minister Vaghani said improved road access would help strengthen infrastructure and facilitate easier movement for residents, particularly during the monsoon season, when many villages remain inaccessible.
He added that the remaining hamlets identified in the survey are currently under verification by the Central government, and further phases will be taken up after the process is completed.
“The verification of the remaining surveyed hamlets is being carried out at a fast pace by the Centre,” he said.
Minister Vaghani also outlined the funding pattern for the project, saying that under the PMGSY, 60 per cent of the project cost will be borne by the Central government, while the remaining 40 per cent will be funded by the state government.
The project is part of the state’s broader efforts to address long-standing infrastructure gaps in tribal regions and ensure uniform access to basic facilities.
–IANS
mys/khz
