Imphal, March 31: The Centre has blocked the release of the second installment of PMGSY fund to Manipur as the first installment was not utilized properly in the State.

Disclosing this to newsmen from the North East at Shastri Bhawan today, Union Rural Development Minister Shanta Kumar said that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 60,000 crores under the PMGSY to connect all the villages with good roads.

With the amount given as 100 percent funding from the Centre, most of the States have judiciously utilized their share but Manipur which, also took the first installment of Rs 40 crores failed to judiciously utilize the sum, said the Minister adding that the roads thus constructed are of very poor quality.

The Minister said that the quality of work under the scheme cannot be compromised and added that assessment is done under very good/good/average and poor by an expert team.

Many contractors found to have built sub-standard roads have been black listed, he added.

Manipur Information Centre adds: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has urged the Union Minister for Rural Development to start construction and development of rural roads in the hills and valley districts of Manipur interlinking all the districts and also with the twin districts of the State Capital under the PMGSY.

The Chief Minister, who called on the Union Minister for Rural Development Shanta Kumar at the latter's office chamber this afternoon apprised that roads in the entire hills and rural areas of Manipur are in very sorry conditions and need to be developed at the earliest possible in view of the, approaching rainy season.

Ibobi pointed out that in the absence of railway connectivity, land communication by roads is the only and main communication of the people of Manipur.

So, the roads in the rural areas of hills and valley districts of the State should be constructed, maintained and developed properly so as to connect all the rural areas with its respective district headquarters as well as the State capital.

He further informed the Union Minister that since Manipur is a hilly State with an oval shaped valley covering only a small portion of the total area, development of roads required to be accorded priority for development of the hills and rural areas for improvement of the socio-economic condition of the masses.

Justifying his explanations and demands, Ibobi also submitted a detailed plan and layouts including the fund required for construction and development of rural roads under the National scheme of PMGSY.

Union Minister Shanta Kumar who also hails from a hilly State paid a patient hearing and assured the Chief Minister to look into the matter minutely and take necessary steps after consulting with his Ministry officials to this effect at the earliest.

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