Srinagar, Aug 11: Jammu and Kashmir received Rs 261.87 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) during 2025-26, while an expenditure of Rs 420.50 crore, including the State share, was incurred under the programme, the Union Government informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The information was provided by Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan in a written reply to an Unstarred Question raised by Atul Garg, Dr D. Purandeswari, Dr Lata Wankhede, Arun Bharti, Shambhavi and Rajesh Verma.
As per the reply, a total of 2,132 rural habitations in Jammu and Kashmir have been provided all-weather road connectivity under PMGSY. Ladakh has recorded connectivity to 64 habitations.
The Ministry stated that PMGSY-III, launched in 2019, focuses on consolidation of existing rural roads and improving connectivity to key socio-economic growth centres, including Gramin Agricultural Markets, schools and hospitals.
At the national level, PMGSY-III has facilitated connectivity to over 6.96 lakh socio-economic facilities, including 1.38 lakh agricultural markets, 1.46 lakh educational institutions and 82,806 medical facilities, the reply stated.
The government further informed the House that independent National Quality Monitors (NQMs) conduct quality inspections of PMGSY road works. Works requiring improvement or rectification are graded as “Unsatisfactory”, while State governments are required to ensure that identified defects are rectified through contractors before final bill clearance.
On maintenance, the Ministry said PMGSY construction contracts carry a mandatory five-year Defect Liability Period, during which the same contractor remains responsible for routine maintenance and keeping the road and associated structures in serviceable condition.
Maintenance during the five-year period is monitored through eMARG (Electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads) on performance-based maintenance principles. The government said maintenance payments are linked to performance evaluation, and where the performance score is below 80 per cent, payment is not released.
The reply also stated that a Post-DLP module of eMARG has been introduced to monitor maintenance beyond the initial five-year period, with provisions for performance-based maintenance, performance security and recovery or penalties in cases where contractors fail to undertake stipulated maintenance.
The details were furnished in response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3730, answered on August 11, 2026—(KNO)
