Sehore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 9 (ANI): The silver jubilee celebrations marking 25 years of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the national launch of PMGSY-IV will be held in Bhairunda, Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district on Sunday, marking a major milestone in the development journey of rural India.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan will lead the programme and reinforce the national commitment to connecting villages with durable, all-weather paved roads. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav will also participate in the event.

During the event, Union Minister Chouhan will hand over approval letters and financial allocations under PMGSY-IV to CM Yadav for 973 roads covering a total length of 2,117 kilometres in Madhya Pradesh. These projects are expected to benefit 987 habitations across the state. Along with this, road projects covering more than 384 kilometres under the PM-JANMAN initiative will also be approved, directly benefiting 168 backward habitations.

During the programme, Chouhan will also announce a symbolic allocation of Rs 18,907 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for the financial year 2026-27. Out of this, Rs 830 crore has been allocated for the Madhya Pradesh. The allocation is expected to further strengthen rural connectivity and improve access to economic activities, education, healthcare and agricultural markets in rural areas.

According to the statement, Union Minister Chouhan has consistently emphasised that a village road is not merely a means of transportation, but a pathway to prosperity, education, healthcare, markets, employment and a life of dignity. The silver jubilee celebrations of PMGSY and the launch of PMGSY-IV are being described as a decisive step towards taking rural India to new heights of development in the coming years.

The programme will also include the felicitation of states that have performed exceptionally in implementing rural road projects. The event is expected to mark the beginning of a new phase of technology-driven rural road construction and connectivity expansion across the country. (ANI)