New Delhi: Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday launched the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) in Bhairunda of Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district and announced a major development package worth thousands of crores for the state, focusing on rural roads, housing and infrastructure expansion.
The launch event, organised as part of the silver jubilee celebrations marking 25 years of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, was attended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Union Ministers of State Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Kamlesh Paswan, state ministers, legislators and senior officials from the Centre and the state government.
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan described village roads as the “backbone of prosperity” and said rural connectivity plays a vital role in improving access to education, healthcare, markets and employment opportunities. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was committed to ensuring visible and concrete changes in the lives of villagers, farmers, women and the poor.
Under PMGSY-IV, Madhya Pradesh received approval for 973 rural roads covering a total length of 2,117.52 kilometres at an estimated cost of ₹1,763.08 crore. The projects are expected to benefit 987 habitations across the state and significantly improve rural connectivity.
The Vidisha parliamentary constituency separately received approval for 259 roads spanning over 600 kilometres, expected to benefit 264 habitations. Chouhan announced that roads worth more than ₹500 crore would be built in the Vidisha region and assured that no village meeting PMGSY criteria would be left without connectivity.
The Union Minister also handed over PM-JANMAN road project approvals worth ₹261.81 crore, covering 384.34 kilometres and benefiting 168 habitations, particularly in backward and underserved regions.
In addition, Madhya Pradesh received ₹830 crore from the Centre’s total indicative PMGSY allocation of ₹18,907 crore for the financial year 2026-27. Chouhan termed the allocation a major boost for accelerating rural infrastructure development in the state.
The Union Minister also handed over a mother sanction worth ₹2,055 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Chouhan said the government was committed to ensuring that no poor family remained without a permanent house and added that eligible beneficiaries identified through fresh surveys would receive housing support after physical verification.
Emphasising women’s empowerment, Chouhan said the government would further accelerate the “Lakhpati Didi” initiative through self-help groups to connect women with income generation and financial independence.
On farmers’ issues, the Agriculture Minister assured that no eligible farmer would face injustice during wheat procurement operations. He said pending verification procedures would be completed and procurement would continue without discrimination. He also indicated that the government was working on more farmer-friendly mechanisms related to land acquisition.
CM Mohan Yadav praised Chouhan’s leadership and said the Madhya Pradesh government was working in close coordination with the Centre to fulfil development demands from the region. He assured that all practical demands raised by local residents and public representatives would be addressed.
During the programme, both leaders also gave positive indications regarding several regional demands, including supply of Narmada water to remaining villages, expansion of irrigation projects, approval of local roads, land lease distribution, educational institutions and development of facilities around temple areas.
MoS Pemmasani said PMGSY had transformed rural India over the past 25 years by improving access to essential services and creating opportunities for economic growth. He said PMGSY-IV would further strengthen connectivity in remote and backward areas through durable and future-ready infrastructure.
The event also featured awards recognising states for outstanding performance under PMGSY over the last 25 years. Madhya Pradesh secured first place among large states for completing the highest road length under PMGSY with 90,766 kilometres, while Bihar topped the category for connecting the highest number of habitations.
In the category of green technology usage in rural road construction, Gujarat secured first position, followed by Tamil Nadu and Haryana. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal were recognised for outstanding performance in rural road maintenance.
Among northeastern and hill states, Assam was honoured for completing the highest road length and connecting the highest number of habitations under PMGSY.
The launch of PMGSY-IV marked a significant milestone in the Centre’s push for durable, technology-driven and inclusive rural infrastructure development across the country.
(DD News)