India’s efforts to improve rural road connectivity which gained a fresh impetus with the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) need to be substantially stepped up. Better rural roads lead to improvements in employment, education and healthcare. It is said that nearly half of the country’s habitations still remain unconnected. And improper road connectivity is one of the main reasons stopping growth in rural areas. In a country where more than three-fifths of the population lives in rural areas, rural roads truly provide “last-mile connectivity” in the network. The villages are now cut off from mainstream activities – businesses, markets, healthcare, etc. The dirt roads are not durable and they are difficult to walk on. Road transportation has gradually increased over the years with the improvement in connectivity between cities, towns and villages in the country. Improving the quality of life of millions of Indian citizens living in rural areas is a mammoth task that will require time and effort at so many levels, of which the development of rural connectivity is a crucial one. Government should continue to play the lead role in connecting rural areas which is vital for the economic and social inclusion of the countryside.
Vinod C. Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
