The ILO has been providing technical assistance to the PMGSY in eight states since February 2013 as part of the current financial support from the World Bank funded Rural Roads Project II. The good results of this technical collaboration prompted the government decision to extend the ILO support  till June 2017. 

The PMGSY is the main vehicle of the Government to provide basic access in rural areas of India. It is one of the flagship programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development. Considering the size of investments being made in rural roads, it is evident that extending reliable and quality transport access to rural areas is a high priority of both federal and state governments.

Its effect on rural livelihoods is well documented in several impact assessments conducted by the PMGSY. The ILO recognizes that investments in infrastructure is key to promoting rural employment for poverty reduction. Rural infrastructure works provide immediate job creation as well as facilitates the long-term development of job creation in other parts of the rural economy. This collaboration also fits well with ILO’s country programme outcome 104: Enhanced national capacity to effectively plan, design and implement public employment and investment programmes through infrastructure.

Key tasks under the project will be :

• Formulation of rural road maintenance policy in remaining 15 Indian states
• Study innovative funding arrangements for rural road maintenance
• Continued support to SRRDAs of RRP II states in planning maintenance tools
• Improved methods of planning and implementing preventive maintenance of rural road
• Partnership with road construction industry (ICEMA)