RWD Bihar: A Comprehensive Guide to Rural Road Development
Introduction
If road connectivity serves as a crucial factor in measuring the pace of infrastructure development, Bihar has a long way to go. Even the official stance on this matter is pessimistic – according to the Rural Works Department (RWD) Bihar, the state is among those with ‘very poor rural connectivity.’
RWD Bihar: Objectives
While the Patna-headquartered department primarily lists the construction and maintenance of rural roads falling under the category of other district roads and village roads, it has to catch up with other states when it comes to road network development. Under its ‘Vision’ statement on the RWD website, the text reads, “As far as quality technical craftsmanship and overall output, as well as real-time rectification intervention, are concerned, the large task of road construction and maintenance is a significant challenge.” This text also highlights the department’s manpower shortage.
Development of Road Network in Bihar
Out of the total 1,29,209 identified settlements in the central, state-core network, and rural supplementary state-core network, Bihar has so far been able to provide connectivity to 68,174 settlements through single all-weather roads. Of these 68,174 settlements, approximately 45,672 settlements have been covered under the centrally sponsored flagship scheme, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), and the remaining 22,493 settlements have been covered mainly under various state schemes, primarily the state-sponsored supplementary flagship schemes, Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana (MMGSY) and its successor, Mukhyamantri Gram Sampark Yojana (MMGSY). Bihar still has to provide connectivity to approximately 61,035 settlements in the next five years, with around 5,156 under PMGSY and the remaining under MMGSY and GTSNY.
RWD Bihar Portal
The RWD portal also serves as a one-stop destination to track the progress of rural road development in Bihar. You can visit the website by clicking here. You can also visit the department’s head office in Patna at the following address: Rural Works Department, 5th Floor, Vishweshwaraiya Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna-800015.
RWD Schemes
RWD Bihar is responsible for the construction and maintenance of rural roads under the centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana (MMGSY), and Gramin Tola Sampark Nishchay Yojana (GTSNY).
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is a central government scheme. The primary objective of PMGSY is to provide connectivity to those settlements through all-weather roads where connectivity is still lacking in rural areas. Initially, this was a fully centrally sponsored scheme, but since 2015-16, the funding is shared between the center and the state in a 60:40 ratio.
Mukhyamantri Gram Sampark Yojana (MMGSY)
The Bihar government launched the Mukhyamantri Gram Sampark Yojana in 2013 to connect all rural areas with a population of over 250 in 27 non-IAP districts through all-weather roads, involving the construction and improvement of 28,075 kilometers of roads at a cost of Rs 19,652 crore. The program is funded by the state government.
Gramin Tola Sampark Nishchay Yojana (GTSNY)
The Gramin Tola Sampark Nishchay Yojana aims to provide good road connectivity in all weather conditions to areas with a population of 100-249, which are not mapped under the central or state-core network. The Seven Nishchay (Seven Commitments) program is a component of this scheme.
RWD Bihar: News Updates
In December 2020, Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar announced a plan to provide additional road connectivity in rural areas under the Seven Nishchay Part-2 program. The CM stated that all rural roads would be connected to the nearest state highways (SH) and national highways (NH). Last year, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari also mentioned that road work worth Rs 30,000 crore is underway in Bihar. Under the Central Road Fund, works worth Rs 2,097 crore have been approved in Bihar over the past six years, of which Rs 1,281 crore has been released.
Conclusion
Bihar’s journey towards improving its rural road connectivity is a challenging yet crucial endeavor. With the efforts of RWD Bihar and the implementation of various schemes like PMGSY, MMGSY, and GTSNY, the state aims to bridge the connectivity gap and ensure that even the remotest areas are accessible. The progress may be slow, but with continued focus and investment, Bihar can achieve its goal of comprehensive rural connectivity.