G.O. (Ms.) No.185, Rural Connectivity under MGNREGS, 2020-21

What the government approved

Government Order (Ms.) No.185 of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, dated 6 November 2020, approves the formation of 2,500 kilometres of Single Layer Water Bound Macadam roads. The work is intended to improve rural connectivity for unconnected habitations, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, tribal and hilly areas, and farm lands under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme during 2020-21.

The approved coverage is:

• 1,350 kilometres in Scheduled Caste habitations.
• 1,150 kilometres in other habitations.
• A total estimated cost of Rs.536.75 crore.
• A labour component of Rs.83.30 crore and a material component of Rs.453.45 crore.

Financial sanction can be given only after the Government of India share is received.

How locations are selected

The Project Director of each District Rural Development Agency must use the THAI survey report as basic data and identify requirements in Scheduled Caste inhabited areas through the relevant Block Development Officer.

Selection requirements include:

• Scheduled Caste habitations must be prioritised in descending order of Scheduled Caste population in the district.
• Sites must generally be selected in descending order of population.
• Villages identified as atrocity prone by the Additional Director General of Police, Social Justice and Human Rights, must be included regardless of population.
• Other Adi Dravidar habitations may be considered only after requirements in atrocity prone villages within the district blocks are exhausted.

Execution and costing

The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department requires estimates, administrative sanction and technical sanction to be processed through SECURE software. The Rural Schedule of Rates for 2020-21 applies, including any later revision to that schedule.

The model unit cost is Rs.21.47 lakh per kilometre, although actual estimates may vary according to site conditions. The detailed guidelines issued in Government Order (Ms.) No.130, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (CGS-1), dated 14 November 2017, must be followed without deviation for planning, work selection, execution and non-negotiable items.

Information at work sites

Every work site must have a 3 by 4 feet Citizen Information Board containing the required information. For works in Adi Dravidar habitations, the prescribed logo and emblem must also appear on the other side of the board. These board costs must be included in the project estimate.

The government order authorises rural road works and their implementation. It does not describe any transfer of private land ownership or alteration of land records.