The network of rural roads constructed under the centrally sponsored scheme Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) will have to publicise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project Swachchh Bharat Mission.
The Union Rural Development Ministry has asked the States to put a billboard detailing the road maintenance measures and slogan on cleanliness campaign that was launched with much fanfare by the Prime Minister on October 2 on the occasion of Mahatama Gandhi’s birthday.
This is being done with an aim to ensure that States initiate intensive national cleanliness campaign for routine maintenance of completed PMGSY road works, said a senior official from the Rural Development Ministry.
“The contractors are being encouraged to engage local community in such maintenance works. The States have been asked to hold meeting in this regard at the level of SRRDA with contractors responsible for carrying out the maintenance so that so that necessary man and material are mobilised in a campaign mode,” the official said.
However, so far it is just a few States such as Haryana and Gujarat which have shared the details of the comprehensive action plan for maintaining these activities throughout the year.
The billboard will give details of the maintenance activities such as repair of road side shoulders, bitumen shoulders, filling/repair of potholes, clean and clear side of pucca drain among others.
Garbage, grass along the waysides of roads are also being removed on regular basis as part of the campaign while tree trunks along the roads are being painted with lime..
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched in December 2000 as a fully funded centrally sponsored scheme to provide all weather road connectivity in rural areas of the country. The programme envisages connecting all habitations with a population of 500 persons and above in the plain areas and 250 persons and above in hill States, the tribal and the desert areas.