Working Papers

India is home to the second largest road network in the world. Spanning almost 3.3 million km, 2.65 million km (80.30%) of it exists in rural areas. Yet, the rural populace continues to face issues of connectivity and accessibility. Access is often limited due to geographical isolation. Access to key services and social networks has been recognised as an important factor in development. Lack of access implies that people have limited opportunities for improving and sustaining their economic and social well-being. While lack of access may not be the sole reason contributing to poverty inaccessibility does limit development opportunities. The development of rural infrastructure is one way of mitigating poverty in rural areas. The Prime Minister"??s Rural Road Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana ??A?A? PMGSY) was instituted to become the backbone for rural infrastructure development and form part of the poverty reduction strategy. In this paper we have taken a close look at PMGSY. A basic planning and policy flaw, in terms of planning measures for rural access, involves the non existence of an appropriate underlying rationale for the intervention. India has a large number of villages scattered geographically, rendering the development of rural areas crucial for the overall development of the nation. Road transport network is a prerequisite of physical infrastructure. At the time of Independence, India"??s road network infrastructure was in poor condition. No major projects had been initiated between 1947 and 1988. The roads were poorly maintained. Efforts were on to develop rural roads under various policies, programmes, and schemes. Long-term efforts to increase the number of roads did little to show in terms of quality. In the year 2000, the National Rural Road Development Committee (NRRDC) was constituted to provide connectivity to all unconnected villages. NRRDC`s recommendations led to the launching of an exclusive programme for the development of rural roads known as PMGSY, which targeted 100 percent connectivity within a stipulated timeframe by constructing new, all-weather roads and upgrading the existing ones. PMGSY has, undoubtedly, led to improved rural connectivity. The key benefits of PMGSY include enhanced access to schools, health centres, improved access to markets, all season connectivity for farmers, improved employment opportunities, and improvement in the quality of life within rural communities. As a result of PMGSY, the all-weather road network has expanded. The key issue associated with PMGSY is one of maintenance with regard to its vast network. Inadequate maintenance does not sustain road development affecting poverty mitigation thereby. The ultimate objective is to promote universal access to essential services. Access to transportation could go a long way in fulfilling this objective. This may be rendered possible through the implementation of infrastructural interventions relevant to social and economic objectives without compromising on technical rigour. PMGSY may be considered as having set a precedent in the area of rural road development.