100 percent rural road connectivity by 2019: Tomar

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Thursday that coverage of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has increased from 64 per cent to 81 in the last three years and hoped that 100 per cent rural road connectivity will be achieved by 2019.

Talking to reporters here, Tomar said the allocation for all major flagship programmes of the ministry has gone up considerably, with the budget for the rual job scheme MGNREGA having gone up by Rs 20,000 crore in the last five years.

"The budget for the rural job guarantee scheme has gone up from Rs 37,000 crore in 2011-12 to about 58,000 crore in 2016-17," he said.

Tomar said that his ministry's budget has gone up from Rs 50,161 crore (0.5 per cent of GDP) in 2012-13 to Rs 95,096 crore (0.63 per cent of GDP) in 2016-17.

After restructuring of the scheme by the NDA government, 235 crore man days were generated in a fiscal and about two crore assets were created under the scheme, he said, adding that 85 per cent of the payments are being made within 15 days and 96 per cent payment to the wage workers are made through direct benefit transfer.

He also said that the Ministry would complete 51 lakh houses under Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana by March 2018.

Tomar said the his Ministry,in partnership with state governments, and is organizing a "Gram Samridhi Evam Swachhta Pakhwada" in every gram panchayat of the country from October 1 to 15, to aim at promoting cleanliness in the village and generating community interaction on economic issues and development.

Gram Sabhas will be organized on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 in all gram panchayats of the country.