New Delhi, June 5
Punjab has urged the Centre to give the state an additional Rs 510 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
(PMGSY). Punjab PWD Minister Partap Singh Bajwa met Union Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and demanded an additional allocation under the scheme.
According to an official spokesman, Mr Bajwa told Mr Raghuvansh Pratap Singh that Punjab contributed nearly Rs 135 crore per annum towards PMGSY funds but the allocations to the state under the scheme had been low.
He said that Punjab had been in the forefront for providing rural connectivity, funds for which were also generated through commercial borrowing. The minister said that states, which had earlier paid less attention to provide rural connectivity, would benefit the most from PMGSY while states like Punjab would not benefit much.
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Irrigation and Public Health Minister Kaul Singh, who also called on Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, sought release of funds under the Swajaldhara yojna.
Mr Kaul Singh said that under Swajaldhara Yojna the Centre had released only Rs 3.45 crore though Rs 7.78 crore had been sanctioned. The minister sought relaxation in norms for Central water schemes for hilly areas.
He urged the Union Minister to convene a conference of state rural development ministers to discuss problems in implementation of welfare schemes.
