It does not surprise us if we are told that the State Government is not responding to the repeated messages of the Union Government’s scheme called Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). A nagging question is why the State Government is usually taking Centrally sponsored schemes in a casual manner. After all these schemes are discussed and resolved by a team of specialists and experts and are recommended for the entire country. The Union Government also provides funding for most of these schemes.
Previously as well, we had taken up in these columns the issue of the State Government soft-paddling on this prestigious project of the Union Government. The essential purpose of this scheme under which a widespread network of rural roads has to be laid out, is to make available the primary infrastructure of nation-wide development. Roads are a priority for economic development. Quite naturally, the Union Ministry of Surface Transport, while floating the PMGSY, also proposed that States prepare Rural Roads Maintenance Policy and submit the draft document to the Union Ministry of Road Transport. The point is that just building the roads is not the end of the task before the Ministry. Maintenance and functionality of the roads made under the scheme are also important aspects of road networking in the country. The roads need regular attention and repair. Particularly, the monsoon season of heavy rains creates havoc with the roads and most of these get washed away in gushing waters. That is the reason why the Ministry of Surface Transport wants that the States should formulate what is called Rural Roads Maintenance Policy. This is what pertains to each State including J&K.
The irony is that despite a number of reminders for submitting Road Maintenance Policy initiative, the State Government has not been responding. One fails to understand why the State Government shows apathy and lack of interest in implementing such prestigious schemes. Is it out of incompetency or lethargy of the officials? More than any other State in the country, it is our State that stands in need of a wide network of road connectivity because this is a hilly State and the population is dispersed over vast stretches of hills and mountains. They need road connectivity and the Government cannot ignore the importance of this requirement. Apart from that, a new situation has developed in our State and that is the emergence of militancy sponsored by a neighbouring State. Since militants usually look for hideouts in remote places, habitats, jungles and sequestered places, it has become very important from security point of view to develop wide network of road connectivity so that movement of security forces in normal course of things or in emergency becomes possible at a short notice.
Besides, look at the condition of the roads in the State today especially in two capital cities. These roads present a dismal look of lack of maintenance and repair. A complicated process has to be gone through to initiate road repair programme. But if there is the road maintenance policy, the time required for initiating repairs would be immensely shortened and roads would not go so bad as to demand huge expenditure on repairs.
The Government should put an end to irresponsible attitude because it goes against the interests of the people. It should immediately respond to the instructions of the Union Ministry of Transport and send in the Rural Road Maintenance Policy report so that our State is enabled to receive its due share in the development of rural roads network.
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