Odisha's Road Connectivity Challenge: 8,300 Villages Left Behind

In Odisha, 8,300 villages remain without road connectivity, as revealed by minister Rabi Narayan Naik in the Assembly. He stated that 51,671 villages have been connected under state and central schemes, but 8,300 are ineligible. The PMGSY-IV scheme may improve this situation, with ongoing surveys to identify unconnected areas.

In a concerning revelation to the legislative assembly, Odisha's minister for panchayati raj and drinking water, Rabi Narayan Naik, disclosed that 8,300 out of the state's 59,971 villages lack road connectivity.

Responding to an inquiry from BJP lawmaker Tankadhar Tripathy, Naik explained that while efforts such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana have successfully linked 51,671 villages via phased initiatives, a significant number of villages remain unconnected. This is largely due to their ineligibility under existing schemes.

In a strategic move, the cabinet has sanctioned the PMGSY-IV scheme, with surveys underway to map unconnected villages more accurately. Notably, Koraput district leads with 1,374 unconnected habitations, followed by Rayagada and Nabarangpur with 1,099 and 641, respectively.