It has ensured better access to jobs, improved agricultural produce and reduced poverty.
Roads are turning around India. Access to roads has led to sharp increase in incomes, rise in literacy rates, escalation of agricultural land prices, better access to jobs and improvement in agricultural production in rural areas.
A World Bank study found that government spending on rural roads had a significant impact on poverty reduction and growth. For every Rs10 lakh spent on rural roads, about 163 people were lifted out of poverty.
World Bank conducted the study to assess the impact of Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), launched in 2000 to connect about 180,000 villages nationwide. Under the Yojana, almost 3,75,000 km of new roads are being built and 3,72,000 km of existing rural road upgraded.
Among the states that are handling major rural roads projects are Karnataka (2,000 km), Maharashtra (1,200 km) and Rajasthan (1,790km). Gujarat has a target of 430 km for 2009-10.
“New roads are revitalising the rural economy, raising incomes, and improving the quality of life. Farmers find it easier to take their produce to market in time, school enrolment is on the rise, and families’ access to health care has improved. Where roads have been built, the rural economy has flourished. This has in turn encouraged some migrants to return home to farm their lands or set up new businesses,” the report said.
Household incomes rose by 50-100% on an average. Farmers received better prices for their products by accessing markets directly and cutting out middlemen while spoilage of perishable produce reduced substantially.
Literacy, too, increased by 10% in such villages and the gender gap narrowed with girls having easier access to school. Most of them had dropped out earlier as parents found it unsafe for them to walk through fields. Better road connectivity also improved availability of school teachers.
Better roads also turned around agriculture and modernised animal husbandry practices as improved seeds, fertilisers, and veterinary services became easily available. Paddy yield almost tripled and cash crops were introduced in previously isolated areas. Land prices rose by 60-80%.
More people had access to jobs and new businesses started diversifying the rural economy.
In 2000, about 40% of India’s 825,000 villages lacked all-weather roads and nearly 74% of the rural population was not fully integrated into the national economy. The existing network of 2.7 million km of rural roads suffered from neglect, under-funding, and lack of maintenance. Many practices and technologies were outdated.
Until end of November 2007 — the 7th year of the programme’s implementation — 100,000km of roads had been built, serving about 45 crore people. Almost 20,000 habitations have been connected so far.
World Bank is assisting the government build roads in difficult regions with a $40-cr loan. India is believed to have sought $300 crore more from the bank to convert 6,372 km of 19,702 km single-lane highways into double lane ones.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}