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MANAGEMENT While many exceptions to the general rules shown in figure 3 are, of course, possible, the table may, nevertheless, be useful – for example, whenever the frequent question of asphalting rural roads arises. In this context, the table indicates that the asphalting of rural roads in LLDC countries is a subsidy burden, which outstrips the possibilities of the country concerned. It may be noted in passing that, in cases where rural roads have been asphalted in densely populated areas of Asia, they may be more appropriately classified as ‘district’ or ‘regional’ roads if they carry local traffic of more than 120 vehicles per day. It is evident from the table that the technical level of road standards is improving in parallel to economic growth. This may notably be seen with India, which, at a GDP level of more than US$ 1000 p.c., may already be planning for the next development step. To obviate a potential ‘inaccuracy’ in figure 3, it should be recalled that India uses, among others, ‘lump sum’ criteria for its rural roads: incorporating 4 five-year plans into a 20- year master plan for rural roads – covering first all villages with more than 3,000 inhabitants (followed, in later master plans, by villages of more than 1,000 inhabitants) targeted to be connected to the tarred Provincial Highway network. Fifthly, maintenance requires local participation. Even though, in most cases, the general financing of rural roads has to be secured by central government, local participation remains crucial for sustained success. This is especially due to the massive need for maintenance of rural roads, which has to be organised locally and can never be successfully undertaken by central institutions. Thus, local funds are needed too, albeit often limited to the provision of local labour. In conclusion, generally viable solutions for the RR issue are at hand. A co-ordinated governmental approach, focusing on finance and organisation, may be best suited for achieving much-needed, lasting success in the rural roads sector. For more information, contact the author at gerhard.metschies@gmx.de or go to www.metschies.com. Rural Transport Infrastructure in India: Mapping Development with Achievement Dr. Asis Kumar Pain Associate Professor, George College (Dept. of Management Studies), Kolkata, West Bengal, India Throughout the world, rural areas are the home of three in every four people living on less than US$1 a day. In view of the new poverty line of $1.25 a day that was announced by the World Bank in 2008, and the fact that over three billion people throughout the globe live below that amount, it is obvious that the number of rural people living under poverty is set to go up even further. A majority of these rural poor is situated in developing and Least Developed Countries (LDC), where the agricultural sector plays a dominant role in driving the rural economy. Given that income flows are uncertain in most developing and LDCs, on account of the uncertainties of nature, it follows that appropriate minimisation of the valuation of time in agriculturally driven rural economies is central to poverty reduction. Such aims can be achieved through improvements in rural transport infrastructure and means. Research findings indicate that aggregate elasticity of agriculture in poor countries is higher with respect to non-price factors than to price factors (Creightney, 1993). Improvement of infrastructure, an important non-price factor, appears to have an upper hand in yielding bigger increases in production. Hence, transport improvements are considered indispensable for rural development and poverty reduction. Appropriate development of rural transport infrastructure entails increases in economic efficiency and lowering of costs and prices, as well as ensuring meaningful access to social and economic opportunities. The Indian Scenario The importance of transport in the rural setting has been recognised by the Government of India as a basic means for sustaining agricultural growth and, with it, the rural economy. With the recent emergence of India as an economic powerhouse, these efforts received a boost through the institution of a Road Development Plan, known as Vision: 2021, to help guide the Central 28 | IRF BULLETIN SPECIAL EDITION: RURAL <strong>TRANSPORT</strong>, VOLUME-2
MANAGEMENT and State Governments in developing the country’s road infrastructure to adequate standards. The document included meticulous strategy proposals for rural connectivity through all-weather roads. District-wise planning of roads for all villages with 100 or more inhabitants by the end of 2010 was undertaken. Table 1 presents the breakdown of targets for village connectivity by all-weather roads pursuant to Vision: 2021. Table-2: Estimated Road Length and Funds Required for New Connectivity as per PMGSY Norms Habitation Population Group 1000+ Number of Rural Unconnected Habitations 59,855 Length Required (Km) 133,949 Table-1: Vision: 2021 – Targets for Connectivity of Villages 500-999 250-499 81,466 31,451 161,955 69,901 Villages (population categories) to be connected by all-weather roads Target Year Total 172,772 365,805 Villages with population above 1000 Villages with population between 500-1000 Villages with population below 500 2003 2007 2010 Source: Final Report; Working Group on Rural Roads in the 11th Five-year Plan; Planning Commission, Govt. of India were to be connected through 365,000 km of new road connectivity (Table 2). Source: Final Report; Working Group on Rural Roads in the 11th Five-year Plan; Planning Commission, Govt. of India The Target By the end of 1999, it was estimated that the length of rural roads to be built was 1.162 million kilometres, for ensuring connectivity of 0.29 million villages. At the outset of the new Millennium, the Government of India constituted a National Rural Road Development Committee (NRRDC) to ensure connectivity of all rural habitations. The status showed that almost all villages with a population of over 1,500 were already connected; about 86% of villages with 1,000–1,500 inhabitants and 43% of villages with a population of less than 1000 were connected by all-weather road facilities. However, ensuring 100% connectivity of villages, as per Vision: 2021, clearly necessitated a phased approach. Accordingly, a special rural road development programme, known as ‘Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana’ (PMGSY) was launched in December 2000, with the objective of connecting the remaining unconnected habitations in a phased manner. The unit for connectivity was changed from ‘village’ to ‘habitation’ 1 in order to provide more people with accessibility. It was planned to connect all habitations with populations of 500 and above in plain regions, and of 250 and above in hilly, desert and tribal areas. At the time of the programme launch, about 330,000 habitations, out of a total of 825,000, were lacking all-weather accessibility. However, in accordance with a detailed survey undertaken, the government finally declared that about 173,000 unconnected rural habitations Achievements of the Five phases of PMGSY The period of implementation of the five phases of the PMGSY scheme (up to 2005) fell mostly within the Government of India’s 10th Five-Year Plan (2002-2007). Thus, an estimate of the connectivity status available for the year 2006 provides some insights into the degree of implementation. It showed that, out of a total of 172,772 habitations, a mere 33% of approvals for connectivity had been granted. In reality, however, only around 16% of the targeted habitations had been connected through allweather roads. The details of these habitations from the perspective of population are given in Table 3. Population Category 1000 & above 500 & above 250 & above Total Table-3: Connectivity Status under PMGSY (as at October 2006) No. of Eligible Habitations 59,855 81,466 31,451 172,772 No. of Habitations covered by project approved 28,361 21,942 6,335 56,638 No. of Habitations Connected 16,081 8,602 2.620 27,303 Source: Final Report; Working Group on Rural Roads in the 11th Five-year Plan; Planning Commission, Govt. of India IRF BULLETIN SPECIAL EDITION: RURAL <strong>TRANSPORT</strong>, VOLUME-2 | 29
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