A two-day regional review meeting on the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) began today at the Welcomehotel in Bhubaneswar.
Organised by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, the meeting is being hosted by Odisha as the nodal state. It aims to assess progress on rural road development, identify challenges, and chart future strategies for enhanced connectivity in India’s eastern and northeastern regions.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Rural Development, the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA), and rural development departments of multiple states are participating. Representatives from Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, and West Bengal are attending the deliberations.
Speakers at the inaugural session emphasised that PMGSY is no longer just about building roads — the thrust is now on superior **construction quality**, proper maintenance, and ensuring roads last longer in challenging terrains. The unique issues faced by these states, including hilly topography, heavy rainfall, and scattered habitations, were highlighted as key discussion points.
The meeting prioritizes completing leftover works from previous phases while accelerating implementation of **PMGSY-IV**. Odisha has already achieved an impressive **99.63%** completion rate under the first three phases. Under the first batch of PMGSY-IV, the state has received sanction for **827 roads** spanning **1,701.8 km**.
Discussions also centered on increasing transparency and monitoring through digital tools and platforms. The second day will focus on quality enhancement, adoption of digital technologies, financial management, and road maintenance best practices.
The gathering is expected to facilitate rich experience-sharing among states and help identify practical solutions. The ultimate goal is to make rural road development in India faster, higher in quality, and more sustainable, thereby transforming lives in remote villages through better access to markets, education, healthcare, and opportunities.
