Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

Bharat Nirman achieves most targets of the first year - PM reviews programme

The Prime Minister chaired a meeting to review the six components of Rural Infrastructure under Bharat Nirman for the year 2005-2006. Among these progress in four components of rural telephony, rural water supply, rural housing and coverage of new kilometers of roads under the rural roads programme exceeded the targets. The targets under the components of rural electrification were also substantially achieved though there was a shortfall in the component of irrigation.

Bharat Nirman seeks to cover all villages in India with electricity , all weather roads, potable water, electricity and telephones by 2009. In addition 60 lakh new houses are to be constructed and one crore hectares brought under irrigation.

Under rural roads 18,708 kilometers were constructed against a target of 15,492 kms. Under rural telephony so far 30,251 villages out of 66,822 stand covered. And for rural water supply under the category of slipped back habitations against a target of 34,373 habitations 70,416 were covered. The target for the uncovered habitations was 11,879 against which 11,526 were covered. In the area of rural housing against a target of 15 lakh houses for 2005-06 15.41 lakh houses were constructed.

Under Rural electrification against a target of 10,000 villages to be electrified, 9819 villages were connected in 2005-06. However 2006-07 and 2007-08 are critical for the programme as the target has been hiked to 40,000 villages per year. A new system of franchisees for distribution has also been set up under the programme with the franchisee being self help groups and entreprneurs etc. In irrigation, the basic responsibility is with the state governments . So far not all states have sent their reports and from among the states reporting, 0.9 million hectares capacity has been created against a target of 1.9 million hectares for 2005-06.

For the Rural roads programme, a seperate window for Bharat Nirman under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund has been created to source 16,500 crores which is expected to be approved by the cabinet shortly. A total of Rs 48,000 crores including cess, EAP and the new window will meet the funding gap of the programme in full.

There are seven states with over 90% of the backlog in the area of rural roads and these are Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkand, and Orissa. There are six states with over 90 % of the backlog in the area of rural electrification and they are Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The Prime Minister has directed the Planning Commission to organise a separate meeting for him with the Chief Ministers of these states during the ensuing NDC meet to request them to act on these programmes with urgency so that all targets are achieved on schedule.