Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Sunday said that the UPA Government is fully committed to the development and strengthening of infrastructure in the country.
“Equal attention is being given to the rural infrastructure also,” said Tewari while addressing a public meeting at village Dangian in ludhiana district on Sunday after laying the foundation stone of a road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).
Tewari said that more than two lakh km of new rural roads have been added to the rural road network during the last eight 8 years. “More than 20,100 km all weather roads have been constructed or upgraded with an expenditure of over Rs 6,450 crore during last fiscal. Allocation for PMGSY has been increased to Rs 1,24,013 crore for the 12th Five Year Plan to further improve the rural connectivity,” he added.
Tewari said that an amount of Rs 1,000 crore is being provided annually to Punjab for various welfare and developmental schemes, but he alleged that amount is not being fully utilised. Referring to the National Food Security Ordinance, Tewari said the beneficiaries will get rice, wheat and coarse grain at the rate of Rs three, Rs two and Rs one respectively and will cover the 81 crore population of the country.
He hoped that the National Food Security Ordinance will get nod of Parliament during the forth-coming Monsoon Session. “Government is in the process to ensure that the benefit of various welfare and developmental schemes must reach the targeted beneficiaries. Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a major step toward this direction. Central pensions, scholarships and subsidy of lPG are being deposited to the Aadhar linked bank accounts of the beneficiaries,” he added.