Introduction
Development of rural roads brings multiple socio-economic benefits to the rural areas which form a strong base of the National economy. The connectivity of rural habitations through good all weather roads has brought appreciable impact on Agriculture, Employment Generation, Industry, Health, Education, Transport facilities, Urbanization, Poverty Alleviation. The Government of Bihar (GOB) is committed to an all round Social and Economic development of the State. Recognising the role played by an efficient and high quality road network to the rural community. Towards this end, an elaborate programme of rural road development needs to be quickly initiated. The responsibilities of construction of rural roads (with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures) lie with the Rural Works Department.
Objective
The rural roads are built up according to standards and specifications led down by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD),Government of India in consultation with Indian Road Congress (IRC).From the design stage to construction and Maintenance stage, the roads have to pass through rigorous specifications in terms Of geometrics, construction materials,technical standards and the whole gamut of Engineering parameters. In addition to these standards and specifications, an Integral maintenance provision for 5 years in the EPC contract is the near hallmark of the rural connectivity program.
Vision
The enormous task of building and maintaining roads poses a formidable challenge in so far assuring the quality technical workmanship and overall output along with real time rectification interventions is concerned. Given the manpower constraint of the department,system of various tiers of inspection, testing and measurements, reporting and rectification complied with engineering and administrative interventions is therefore urgently required.
Executive Summary
Bihar figures among states with very poor rural connectivity. Out of a total of 129209 habitations identified in Central, State Core Networks and Supplementary State Core Network of rural connectivity, the state has been able to provide connectivity to 68174 habitations by single all-weather roads till date. Out of these 68174 habitations, about 45672 habitations have been covered under the centrally- sponsored flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the rest 22493-odd habitations under various state schemes, mainly under the state sponsored supplementary flagship schemes called Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and its successor Mukhya Mantri Gram Sampark Yojana (MMGSY). To put in brief,the state has the arduous task of providing connectivity to remaining about 61035 habitations in the next 5 years, including about 5156 under PMGSY and the rest under MMGSY and GTSNY.
The other way to look at the broad picture is to examine the road lengths to be constructed in rural Bihar. The state had to build a total of 129473 km of rural roads and till date a total of 68591 km, including about 45832 km under PMGSY has been built. The state has to build another 60882 km of road length, including about 10937 km under PMGSY.
The State Government has resolved to complete this ambitious task in next 4 years. This will require a stupendous investment of about Rs. 65500 Cr, out of which just about Rs.12000 Cr will come from the Central Government share under PMGSY which is now being funded as a 60:40 centrally sponsored scheme. This implies the State Government has to mobilise about Rs. 53500 Cr in the next 4 years. Obviously an emerging state like Bihar finds it extremely difficult to mobilise such huge sums of public investment.