Thiruvananthapuram: State Public Works Department officials are elated over the Union surface transport ministry sanctioning Rs 364 crore under the centrally-sponsored Central Road Fund for road improvement projects in the state. The amount was only Rs 52 crore last year. Interestingly, the ministry sanctioned the entire amount the PWD had sought to complete 26 ongoing projects in the state. A top PWD official told DC that the centre sanctioned less amount last year as the state had undertaken very few projects.
“The Union government had this time given Rs 150 crore which was the fuel cess collected as per the central budgetary allocation,” the official said. “Normally they would grant more than three times the amount towards the Central Road Fund.” The NDA government had decided in 2014 to levy a one-time two per cent cess on new vehicles which, according to a study by the National Highway Authority of India, would generate Rs 1,840 crore a year. Owners of the existing vehicles would have to pay Rs 1,000 each which would give another Rs 2, 156 crore to the Government.
The NHAI had withdrawn from the development works of the stretch between Kuttipuram and Kazhakoottam almost two years ago and the PWD was forced to develop it with Central Road Funds. Apart from the PWD officials, contractors in the project had also raised the issue last year as the paltry Rs 52 crore would hardly suffice to complete projects.
They had also pointed out that they had to maintain the village road stretch as it has got five year maintenance guarantee as well. A senior government official, however, said the central funds are being allocated into a common pool and the finance department under the previous UDF government had been diverting them for various purposes which affected the works such as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
