2,200 km roads in state to be developed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rural Development Minister K C Joseph has said that the Centre has in principle cleared the development of 2,200 kilometres of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the eighth and ninth phase of the project.Joseph told reporters here on Wednesday that of the 2,200 kms, 1,000 kms will be in the eighth phase and 1,200 kms in the ninth phase. He said that an amount of Rs 332 crore, including tender excess, had also been cleared during the meetings he along with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had with Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Panchayat Raj Minister Kishore Chandra Deo.He announced a scheme on the lines of AHADS scheme, which had completed its duration, for the benefit of Adivasis in Wayanad. He said that the State Government had submitted a proposal to hike the daily wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNRES). Joseph flayed the attempts by certain quarters to organise strikes in the sectors under the MGNERS. This is because, there is no employers for the scheme. The strike would adversely affect development. It is not right to bring in politics in development.He said that there were allegations that those who took part in the strike demanding to raise the maximum mandays from 100 to 200 had gone to take part in the strike after signing the muster roll.