Maram area to get a connectivity boost under PM-JANMAN

IMPHAL — Eight road construction projects are set to be introduced in Senapati district's Maram area under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) scheme.

The central government initiative, launched in 2023-24, aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by providing essential facilities and services.

Chief Engineer Kh Temba Singh of Manipur State Rural Road Development Agency (MSRRDA) stated that these road construction works, spanning 35 km with a cost of INR 40 crore, were sanctioned to provide all-weather road connectivity to support connectivity in PVTGs under the PM-JANMAN scheme.

Notably, the Maram tribe of Manipur is among the country's 75 recognised PVTGs targeted for socio-economic development.

MSRRDA's Chief Engineer Temba was speaking to the media on the side-line of the silver jubilee celebration of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) here on Monday.

He also informed that 423 heavy machinery and equipment used by contractors for the construction of the roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) were lost during the Manipur crisis erupted on May 3, 2023.

The chief engineer disclosed this media on the sidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) silver jubilee celebration. He stated that 423 heavy machinery and equipment used by contractors for road construction under PMGSY were lost during the Manipur crisis that erupted on May 3, 2023.

“So far we’re not able to give any sort of compensation to the contractors. So this is a big loss for the contractors and a big hindrance in the completion of these projects because contractors have lost their construction materials during the crisis,” he said, adding that the total cost of these machineries and equipment would be around INR 70-80 crore.

Regarding the implementation of the PMGSY in Manipur, Singh stated that ninety-five percent habitation connectivity was achieved in the last 25 years since its launch in December 2000.

He informed that 1931 works - construction of roads and bridges (out of 2229 works with a total road length of 12,491 km) with a road length of 10,910 km at the cost of INR 4780 crore, were completed.

The chief engineer added that the maximum number of works were completed in PMGSY Phase I, which was sanctioned during 2000-2021.

The objective of the PMGSY is to provide all-weather rural road connectivity to unconnected habitations of 250 persons (based on 2011 census) as part of nationwide poverty reduction strategy.

Churachandpur and Pherzawl districts have 55 balance works - the highest among all districts - out of 187 total balance works of PMGSY-Phase I in the state.

They are followed by Tamenglong and Noney districts with 44 balance works of road and bridge constructions.

Notably, 89% of the balance works pertaining to PMGSY Phase I & II are in hill districts of the state, whereas 11% of the balance works are in the valley districts.

The silver jubilee celebration of PMGSY in Manipur was attended by Chief Secretary Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel, Commissioner (Rural Development & Panchayati Raj) Sumant Singh, former chief engineers of MSRRDA, and other senior engineers and staff.