MINUTES OF THE REGIONAL REVIEW MEETING HELD ON 28TH & 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2016 AT KOLKATA
Participating States: Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal
A Regional Review meeting of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for the States of East Zone -Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal,was held on 28th & 29th September, 2016 at Kolkataunder the chairmanship of Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Joint Secretary (RC), MoRD & DG, NRRDA.
On the first day, overview of the implementation status of PMGSY in the participating States and the appropriate actions required to be taken by the respective States was provided by JS (RC), MoRD & DG, NRRDA. TheState-wise progress and item-wise review througha power point presentation was also carried out.
On the second day, specific inputs from PTAs/STAs, SQMs, SQCs and NQMs were discussed. In addition, Dr. P.K. Jain, former Chief Scientist, CRRI, made a presentation on “CRRI-Bitchem Cold Mix Technology”, a representative from M/s. Kaveri Ultra Polymers Pvt. Limited made presentation on Soil Stabilization Technology products and a representative from M/s. SAPCO Bitumen Company Limitedmade presentation on Cold Mix Technology. The States were encouraged to use cost effective and “green technology”, in the construction of PMGSY roads.
On the first day, at the outset, Shri Mahesh Hiremath, Director Projects-I, NRRDA, welcomed Shri Rajesh Bhushan, JS (RC), MoRD & DG, NRRDA, Shri Saurabh Kumar Das, Principal Secretary, RD & PR, West Bengal, other dignitaries, and all the officers participating from the four States.
Shri S. Chakraborti, Additional Chief Executive Officer (WBSRDA), Kolkata also welcomed Joint Secretary (RC) & DG, NRRDA, Principal Secretary/ Secretary from States of Bihar, Odisha & Jharkhand, Directors from MoRD, NRRDA and expressed his gratitude on behalf of the State Government for having been given an opportunity to organize the Regional Review Meeting of PMGSY at Kolkata.
Shri Rajesh Bhushan, JS (RC) & DG, NRRDA in his opening remarks informed all the participating States about the comparatively slow progress of nine Statesviz., Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal which are extremely critical for the success of the PMGSY, four States out of these nine States, being present in the review meeting. He informed about the proposals sanctioned during 2016-17 to the States of Jharkhand and Odisha. States were requested to ensure priority completion of tendering process and award of these works without delay. He quoted examples of Gujarat and Karnataka which completed the entire award exercise within 45 days after tendering. Chief Engineer, RWD, Odisha assured that all the works sanctioned under Batch I & Batch II will be awarded by end of October, 2016 and Chief Engineer, Jharkhand assured that they will award all the works by 15th of October, 2016. The States were also briefed about the advancement of the completion target of PMGSY 2022 to 2019. States should fully utilise the financial resources and ensure timely submission of Utilisation certificates, so that further releases to the States can be made without delay.
He pointed out that the highest average length of PMGSY roads constructed per day was during 2009-10, when it was 140 km/day, after that, it varied from 65 to 72 Km/day from 2010-11 to 2013-14 and 100 km/day during 2014-15 and 2015-16. During the currentfinancial year (upto Sept.’16), there is a substantial increase to 139 km/day. He also requested all the States to fix the targets for PIUs and contractors in terms of numberand length of road works to be completed month-wise and to see that the PIUs regularly upload physical and financial progress on OMMAS in respective modules and also to review the performance of ITNOs at SRRDA level.
JS (RC) & DG, NRRDAoutlined the future task for 4 East Zone States with a totalbalance rural road lengthof87,438 km to be completed (including new connectivityof 50,565 km, upgradation of 26,483 km10,390 km in PMGSY-II) and with a total balance of16,855 habitations to be connected under PMGSY by March, 2019.
Regarding balance unconnected habitations for which DPRs are yet to be submitted by the States he pointed out that State-wise number is Bihar3,755 nos., Jharkhand 1,987 nos., Odisha 2,050 nos. and West Bengal 500 nos. The average length of PMGSY roads to be constructed in 2016-17, in Bihar would be 17.91 km per day as against 10.19 km done in 2015-16, in Jharkhandit would be 8.21 km per day against 3.68 km done in 2015-16, inOdisha16.98 km against 10.33 kmdone in 2015-16, and in West Bengal11.23 km as against 6.55 kmdone in 2015-16. With this target in mind, the execution capacity of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengalare to be scaled up by1.75, 2.23, 1.64 and 1.71 times respectivelyin 2016-17. The average target of habitations per month for 2016-17 in respect of Biharis327 as against 174done in 2015-16, Jharkhandis 163as against 62in 2015-16, Odishais 171 as against 89 in 2015-16 and for West Bengal it is 88as against 34in 2015-16. It was emphasised by the JS (RC) &DG, NRRDA that to achieve the enhanced targets in an accelerated manner, by March, 2019, there is an urgent necessity of strengthening the PIUseither by filling up vacancies or creating additional PIUs (if required),re-arranging the PIUs, by rationalizing their work loador by co-opting Central PSUs for execution of PMGSY.
(Action: All States)
While reviewing the release of States Share for 2015-16, all participating States have released their State share of 2015-16. The budgetary provision of Rs. 2,000 cr. for Bihar, Rs. 579 cr. for Jharkhand, Rs. 1,100 cr. for Odisha and Rs. 904 cr. for West Bengalhas to be made for 2016-17. Bihar and Jharkhand have released the State share (Rs. 383.2 crore and Rs. 125 crore respectively for 2016-17). Odisha and West Bengal assured that they would deposit the State share (2016-17) without further delay.
(Action: Odisha and West Bengal)
JS (RC) & DG, NRRDA also stressed on increasing the use of “Green Technologies” in construction of PMGSY roads, which are environment friendly, time and cost saving and labour health friendly. He highlighted that the total target length for 2016-17 under New Connectivity and Upgradation is 48,812 km, out of which the R&D Target is 13,839 km(Bihar850 km, 500 km for Jharkhand, 1,000 km for Odisha and 400 km for West Bengal). He underlined that every State should achieve much more than the 15% of the total length proposed using fly ash, iron and copper slag, lime, cement and such other soil stabilisation technologies, waste plastic, Cold Mix, cell filled CC, panelled CC, construction & demolition waste, waste & marginal materials etc. The States have not shown appreciable progress so far in respect of new technology which is a cause of concern. All PIUs must upload thedata on R&D module ofOMMAS regularly. He reiterated that the States may also convertthe already sanctioned length of conventional roads into new technology roads. In case of Cold mix waste plastic technology there is no further approval required from NRRDA for which NRRDA has already issued an advisory to all the States. The financial savings in the same phase of PMGSY may be usedto compensate the additional cost due to use of new technologies like cold mix, geo-textiles etc.
(Action: All States)
The importance of maintenance was also highlighted. JS (RC) & DG, NRRDA informed that the Ministry has been constantly advising and requesting the States to evolve State specific Policy on Maintenance of Rural Roads. But so far only 15 States have formulated and notified these policieswhich are available on PMGSY website. Other States may make use of these policies to suit their State specific needs. Such Policy formation and notification would lead to adequate funding for maintenance of these rural road assets. Except Odisha, all participating States have already notified their Policies. It was explained that the total length under post five years maintenance of PMGSY road worksin these four States, is more than 49,003 km as on 01.04.2016, for which the maintenance funding should be the top priority.
(Action:Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and WB)
JS (RC) & DG, NRRDA explained about the pilot using Remote Sensing by Centre for Geo-Informatics Application in Rural Development (CGARD), NIRD, Hyderabad (Application of Space Technology in Rural Roads Projects under PMGSY), for 5 States viz, Assam, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Odisha (two districts in each State). The report of CGARD has already been forwarded to the concerned States for taking action and sending comments, with respect to the variations observed in the report.
JS (RC) & DG, NRRDA explained about the updating of “Meri Sadak” mobile application to Version 4.0.2 and the need to respond to the querries & questions of the citizens made on “Meri Sadak”, properly & timely. This has to be monitored by the State Quality Coordinator (SQC) regularly at State level, who will need to dispose off the feedbacks timely, received under “Meri Sadak” on OMMAS portal.
In case of grievance petitions, the interim reply shall be within 7 days to the Petitioner and the final reply shall be within 60 days. As off now the pendency is 69 in Jharkhand, 73 inOdisha, and 107 in West Bengal for “Interim Reply”. States were informed to dispose off thesein a time bound manner.
(Action: Jharkhand, Odisha and WB)
JS(RC) & DG, NRRDA emphasised the concerns of NRRDA including CAG’s Performance Auditon non-completion of the projects sanctioned prior to 2010-11. As per Recommendations of CAG, the spill over financial liability in respect of PMGSY works, which are still not completed even after 4 years, will have to be borne by the State Government except those stalled due to court cases/litigation, non availability of forest clearances. He said that the Secretary, Rural Development, GoI has already written a letter to all the Chief Secretariesasking the States to send the monthly completion plan for such roads based on realistic field assessment. He also requested the States to fix the targets for PIUsand contractors for achieving the progressin every month and to share the steps taken along with the progress achieved, to Ministry/ NRRDA also. The PIUsand SEs mustreview progress of the contractors and PIUs respectively, on a regular basis.
(Action : All States)
After the presentation of the JS (RC) & DG, NRRDA, the review of the progress was made State-wise:
In compliance to the minutes of the last Regional Review Meeting held in November, 2015 at Bhubaneswar, the Stateof Bihar has to still upload on OMMAS the reconciled habitations data. State was again requested to reconcile the data of RWD and CPSUs on OMMAS. Out of 6,500 un-mapped habitations of Bihar SRRDA 5,200 habitations pertain to NEAs. The Chief Engineer, RWD Bihar informed that certain roads & habitations need to be shifted from one block to the another and requested to make provision on OMMAS to correct this discrepancy for 100% reconciliation of habitations. The State was advised to organize a meeting for PIUs of RWD as well as CPSUsshortly, atleast for two days at central level in Patna for reconciliation.
The Chief Engineer, RWD, Odisha informed that some habitations wrongly mapped on OMMAS needs to be reconciled, for which the State was requested to provide road-wise list dully signed by CEO/CE, which is wrongly mapped on OMMAS, to NRRDA indicatingbatches and year of sanction so as to correct from backend with the help of C-DAC. Regarding State specific Rural Roads Maintenance Policy except Odisha, all other participating States have already notified. The Chief Engineer, RWD, Odisha assured that within two month’s time the RRMP will be notified.
(Action : Bihar and Odisha)
- In Bihar (RWD), 25,828Km of road length(75%) has been constructed out of total sanctioned length of 34,555Km. Nearly8,727 km of the sanctioned length is pending completion. This gap needs to be reduced. Against the annual target of 6,540 km road length during 2016-17, the State has reported to have completed 2,895 km, which is 44% of the annual target. Out of 11,769 road/bridge works cleared, 8378 road/bridge works have been completed under normal PMGSY. Under World Bank RRP-II, out of 956 roads/ bridge works, 481 roads/bridge works have been completed. State was requested to complete all the balance road works/bridges sanctioned under RRP-II before June, 2017, which is closing date of RRP-II loan. State was also requested to submit the action plan road-wise, phase-wise/ stage-wise of all incomplete road works to MoRD/NRRDA. The State has 620 road works pending for more than 4 years which is cause of serious concern.
(Action: SRRDA Bihar)
Jharkhand (RWD) has completed 2,547 roads/bridges out of 4,475 sanctioned and 12,807 km length has been constructed out of 20,441 km sanctioned under normal PMGSY as well as World Bank RRP-I & II. The State has to still complete 1,928 roads/bridges. Nearly7,634 km of the sanctioned length is pending completion. This gap needs to be reduced. Against the annual target of 3,000 km road length during 2016-17, the State has completed 1,179 km, which is 39% of the annual target. Under World Bank RRP-I (Batch II), out of 33 road works, 20 roads works have been completed. Under RRP-II, out of 1,010 road /bridge works 559 road/ bridge works has completed. State was requested to complete all the balance road works sanctioned under RRP-II before June, 2017, which is closing date of RRP-II loan. State was also requested to submit the action plan road-wise, phase-wise/stage-wise of all in-complete road works to MoRD/NRRDA. The State has 739 road works pending for more than 4 years which is cause of serious concern. The Chief Engineer informed that by end of March 2016 most of the road works will be completed. Director (RC-PR) informed that a meeting will be organised on 6th October, 2016 at Delhi for Jharkhand SRRDA as well as CPSUs to expedite the progress of works. The Chief Executive Officer, Jharkhand further informed that out of 739 road works which are more than 4 years old, 405 road works are proposed for re-tendering & most of these pertain to LWE districts. During the current year, an expenditure of Rs. 291 Crore (68%) has been incurred, out of released amount of Rs. 425 Crore.
(Action: SRRDA Jharkhand)
Odisha has completed 10,057 roads/bridges out of 12,415sanctioned and 37,737 km length constructed out of 47,923 km sanctioned under normal PMGSY as well as ADB. The State has to still complete 1,399 roads/bridges. Nearly10,186 km of the sanctioned length is still pending completion. This gap needs to be reduced. Against the annual target of 6,200 km road length during 2016-17, the State has completed 2,610 km, which is 42% of the annual target. Under ADB, out of 2,909 road works, 1,950 roads works have been completed. State was requested to submit the plan of action road-wise, phase-wise as well as stage-wise of all in-complete road works to MoRD/NRRDA. State was also informed that since the target for completion of PMGSY works has been preponed from March 2022 to March 2019, the State should expedite the matter and to send a consolidated proposal for dropping of such roads, if any. The State has 698 road works pending more than 4 years (normal PMGSY as well as ADB) which is cause of serious concern. Chief Engineer, RWD Odisha informed that 50% of incomplete road works will be completed by March, 2017. State was also requested to resolve the RCTRC location / landproblem before end of October, 2016. During the current year, an expenditure of Rs. 669 Crore (82%) has been incurred, out of released amount of Rs. 812 Crore.
(Action: SRRDA Odisha)
West Bengal has completed 4,060 road works out of 4,981 sanctioned and 21,046 km length constructed out of 25,356 km sanctioned under normal PMGSY as well as ADB. The State has to still complete 921 roads/bridges. Nearly4,310 km from the sanctioned length are still pending for completion. This gap needs to be reduced. Against the annual target of 3,649 km road length, for 2016-17, the State has completed 605 km, which is 17% of the annual target. In ADB, out of 651 road works, 519 roads works have been completed. State was requested to submit the plan of action road-wise, phase-wise as well as stage-wise of all in-complete road works to MoRD/NRRDA. The State has 225 road works pending more than 4 years (normal PMGSY as well as ADB) which is cause of serious concern. State needs to focus particularly on road which are pending for more than 4 years. During the current year, an expenditure of Rs. 184 Crore (71%) has been incurred, out of released amount of Rs. 260 Crore.
(Action: SRRDA Odisha)
Under LWE, Bihar has completed 2,471 road works out of 3,526 sanctioned covering 78% road length. Jharkhand, 2,593 road work out of 3,826sanctioned covering 68% road length. Similarly, Odisha, 463 road works out of 720 sanctioned covering 62% road length. 8,114 number of habitations for which DPRs have to be submitted by these three States. Out of 35 districts under LWE in 7 States, 24 districts are covered in three participating States. The States were advised to complete the LWE road works in a time bound manneralong with expenditure. Chief Engineer, Odisha requested to consider moving together the road works under Stage-I & Stage-II.
(Action : Bihar, Jharkhand & OdishaSRRDA)
Though the States are requested repeatedly to upload the complete details of New Technology implemented road works on OMMAS, very poor response is seen even now. The States are expected to upload even the performance reports along with documents, photographs etc carried out by PIUs & STA/PTAs which will help in assessing the results of the technology and its feasibility to consider for IRC accreditation and to include in Codes. Director (Technical)informed all the States to use non-conventional, locally available materials and Environment friendly new technologies on a large scale in the construction of PMGSY roads. In this regard, a standard template of agreement with the supplier / technology promoter and with STAs, for Pavement Performance Evaluation Study was issued from MoRD/ NRRDA with New Technology Guidelines on 8th May, 2013 which is also available on website. He further informed that a MoU between STAs, Technology providers and SRRDA for R&D projects should be in place for the purpose of providing training and guidance to PIUs and contractors for quality execution and monitoring and also for collecting data of performance evaluation, in cases where a new technology project has been sanctioned using a material / technology for which IRC Specifications are not available. Director (Technical) also informed that a detailed Advisory on converting existing already sanctioned DPRs into new technology (R&D) DPRs have already been issued to all the States andalso made available on PMGSY website (