india

Updated: Nov 17, 2017 17:01 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked officials to use resources “optimally throughout the year” to build roads and houses and explore new technologies for boosting coal output as part of his government’s initiative to push economic growth.

Modi on Thursday met top officials from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), policy thinktank National Institution for Transforming India or NITI Aayog, and various ministries as he reviewed the progress of key infrastructure sectors including road, housing, coal, and power.

The chief executive of the NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant said in a presentation that 81% of the targeted habitations or 145,000 have so far been connected under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

Officials also said that “progress is being made” towards connecting all the remaining unconnected habitations within a defined timeframe.

“The Prime Minister observed that the resources available for this work should be used optimally throughout the year. He also hoped that the advancement of the Union Budget date would lead to further improvement in performance,” the PMO said in a statement.

The statement added that the Prime Minister was informed of the “expeditious resolution” of complaints received on the Meri Sadak app and called for a detailed analysis of the complaints, “so that timely remedial measures are initiated wherever required”.

Government data shows that its agencies have attained highest ever average daily construction rate of 130km for rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. This has led to an addition of 47,400 km of PMGSY roads in 2016-17. About 11,641 additional habitations have been connected with roads in the same period.

Over 4,000 km of rural roads have been constructed using green technology in 2016-17. The use of non-conventional materials such as waste plastic, cold mix, geo-textiles, fly ash, iron and copper slag is being pushed aggressively.

The Prime Minister, who has promised to deliver 1 crore houses in the rural areas by 2019, said that the positive impact of housing on the lives of the beneficiaries should be suitably examined and the focus should be on improving their quality of life.

Modi also called for renewed efforts towards underground mining and coal gasification through the infusion of latest technology inputs.

The PMO said Modi was also informed about progress in meeting the targets for rural electrification and household electrification.