New Delhi, April 28 The government has sanctioned road projects worth nearly Rs 8,000 crore for Jammu & Kashmir under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-IV, giving a major boost to rural connectivity, agriculture, and livelihoods in the region, the Ministry of Rural Development said on Tuesday.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan handed over the sanction letter for projects approved under PMGSY-IV (Batch-II) to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at a programme held at the SKICC in Srinagar.
Chouhan said the approval of road projects of this scale within a year was a significant achievement and underscored the government’s commitment to the development of Jammu & Kashmir.
He noted that the Union Territory had been prioritised in both phases of PMGSY-IV approvals.
According to him, the objective was not merely to build roads but to connect remote villages, habitations and far-flung areas with essential services such as schools, hospitals and markets, thereby integrating them into the mainstream of development.
Emphasising the broader vision, the minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is committed not only to building roads but also to 'connecting hearts', adding that for the development of Jammu & Kashmir, "the doors of both the heart and Delhi are open".
In addition to the road projects, a 'mother sanction' of over Rs 4,568.23 crore was also released under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) for 24 states and Union Territories to strengthen women-led self-help groups and promote rural livelihoods.
Highlighting women’s empowerment, the minister said that the focus was not only on creating 'Lakhpati Didis' but also on transforming them into strong and sustainable entrepreneurs.
Chouhan also announced that a team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research would be deputed to Jammu & Kashmir to study its climate, soil, water resources and agricultural potential, and prepare a comprehensive roadmap.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the initiatives and described the approval of nearly Rs 8,000 crore in road projects as extraordinary. He said such large-scale approvals in a single phase were significant for a region with challenging geography and a scattered population.
He noted that earlier phases of PMGSY had already transformed connectivity in remote areas by linking them to schools, healthcare and markets, and said Phase-IV would help connect the remaining habitations.
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