Will Maharashtra's Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana Roads Be Constructed with Cement Concrete?

Mumbai, July 15 (NationPress) The Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in Maharashtra, Jaykumar Gore, announced on Tuesday during an Assembly session that to enhance the durability of rural roads, those built under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana will be constructed using cement concrete.

The Minister explained that these roads are presently built in rural regions through both the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

This statement was made in response to a calling attention motion raised by Assembly member Shivaji Patil concerning rural roads in the Chandgad Assembly constituency of Kolhapur district.

Minister Gore indicated that the current widths of rural roads are 5, 3, and 3.5 meters. He mentioned that a favorable decision will be made to widen these roads as needed.

He added, "If there is a proposal from the Zilla Parishad to transfer the roads to the State Public Works Department, it will be evaluated, and a decision will follow. Historically, the state has built the highest number of rural roads under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana, with 11,697 projects approved, totaling 46,106 km. Additionally, the Rural Development Department has drafted a proposal for constructing Pandan roads (farm roads) in rural areas, which will soon be presented to the Cabinet. Many unplanned rural roads will be developed through these Pandan roads," the Minister stated.

In the Chandgad Assembly constituency of Kolhapur district, 120 km of roads were repaired during the years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Furthermore, 53.86 km of road length has been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, with 45.92 km completed. Under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 162.95 km has been approved, and 106.51 km of roads have been finished," he added.

Meanwhile, Dadaji Bhuse, the Minister for State School Education, informed the Assembly that a complaint regarding the recruitment of fake teachers and non-teaching staff in the Amravati taluka was filed on April 4, and an order has been issued to Education Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh to investigate this issue.

He responded to a calling attention motion from Assembly member Pravin Tayade. During the term of former Deputy Director of Education in Amravati, Shivling Patve, numerous teachers and non-teaching staff were hired with fraudulent approvals, involving crores in financial corruption, as raised by Tayade in the Assembly.

Tayade also claimed that a relative of a former Minister of State was implicated in this scandal, urging the Education Department to take action.

In response to these allegations, Minister Bhuse assured that the investigation into the recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff would conclude within a month, and actions would be taken based on the investigation's outcomes.

Previously, it was decided to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the statewide scam in the Education Department. An SIT, consisting of a civil servant, an Indian Police Service officer, and a senior Education Department official, will soon be established to conduct this investigation. The Minister mentioned that the probe into the scam will be wrapped up within three to four months.