Chennai, June 24 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday announced that an additional 10,000 kms of rural roads in the state would be taken up for development and upgraded in the second phase in the next two years.
Making a Statement Under Rule 110 in the State Assembly, he said rural roads forms the backbone of the economy of the people in rural areas and was the key in eradication poverty.
He said as part of upgrading about 1.38 lakh km roads in panchayat, gram panchayat and town panchayats, 10,000 km of rural roads would be upgraded at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore in the next two years.
It would be taken up under the Chief Minister’s Rural Road Development Scheme, as upgrading the road infrastructure would improve trade, reduce logistical problems and increase agricultural production, besides ensuring rural development.
He said quality roads would also increase the income level of people in rural areas.
Recalling his announcement made on January 13, 2023 that a new scheme Chief Minister’s Rural Road Development Scheme would be implemented, Mr Stalin said about Rs 4,000 crore has been allocated in the last two years for developing 10,000 kms of panchayat union and village panchayat roads in the state in the first phase of the scheme.
Of the 10,000 kms, works totalling 8,120 kms have been completed so far, he added.
He said sanction has been accorded for constructing 425 flyovers and laying 16,596 km long roads in the state under Chief Minister’s Rural Road Development Project, NABARD Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, Prime Minister’s Village Road Scheme and the scheme of developing roads adjoining urban areas in the last three years.
“The total cost of the projects is Rs 9,324.49 crore and we have decided to continue implementing these projects,” he said.
As part of this, an additional 10,000 km of rural roads would be upgraded in the second phase in the next two years at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore under the scheme, he added.
