Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be on a visit to Odisha today. During his visit, Mr Chouhan will participate in a programme being organised by the Ministry of Rural Development in Rayagada. He will launch Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV, (PMGSY), which will extend a major developmental boost to the state.

The Ministry of Rural Development informed that under this initiative, 8 hundred 27 road projects covering a total length of nearly 1 thousand 7 hundred 1 kilometres will be taken forward at a cost of over 1 thousand 6 hundred 98 crore rupees. It also said, the initiative will pave the way for 8 hundred 98 habitations to receive all-weather road connectivity for the first time, strengthening access to schools, hospitals, markets, and other essential services, while also accelerating socio-economic development.

The Ministry added that Odisha has already recorded notable progress under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Under various components of PMGSY, a total of 17 thousand 9 hundred 63 roads covering 74 thousand 7 hundred 25 kilometres and 7 hundred 7 bridges have so far been sanctioned in the state. Meanwhile, 17 thousand 7 hundred 60 roads spanning 71 thousand 742 kilometres and 658 bridges have already been completed. The initiative has been linked to the vision of a Viksit Bharat through improved connectivity, faster economic activity, and the empowerment of remote habitations.