Bhubaneswar: The state has set a record by constructing over 7,000km of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the 2017-18 fiscal.

This rare distinction has won the state appreciation from the Centre.

Secretary, rural development, Bishnupada Sethi told The Telegraph: "We have achieved the milestone by completing construction of a total 7009.19km of rural roads, the highest in the country, by the end of 2017-18 financial year."

He said: "Rural connectivity is key to socio-economic transformation. Secretary, rural development, government of India, Amarjeet Sinha, congratulated us for this achievement. We have achieved the milestones because of a dedicated team of the department that includes engineers and other officials."

The Centre had introduced the PMGSY in 2000 to provide all-weather connectivity to unconnected locations in rural areas. The project initially enjoyed 100 per cent central assistance.

During 2015-16, the financing pattern was changed making the states contribute 40 per cent of the funds.

Under this scheme, all-weather connectivity is being provided to habitations with a minimum population of 250 in 18 Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts and habitations where 500 or more people live in other 12 non-IAP districts. This apart, villages having a population of 100 or more are being covered under the scheme in the 38 Naxal-affected blocks of the state.

Till 2017-18, Rs 23,974.16 crore has been sanctioned for the state for an approved road length of 60,594.42km. Till now, the state has constructed 46,820.05km of road at a cost of Rs 19,174.48 crores.

In 2017-18, Odisha was given a target of constructing 7,000km of roads, which is the highest in the country for any state.

"We have completed the construction of roads, which is also the yearly highest for any state since the inception PMGSY," said Sethi.

Odisha is closely followed by Bihar (4,955.10km), Madhya Pradesh (4,672.32km) and Jharkhand (3,752km) in constructing rural roads in the current fiscal.

In Odisha, Sundergarh district constructed 710.033km of roads followed by Mayurbhanj (633.77km), Ganjam (547.04km), Koraput (513.30km) and Malkangiri (429.66km).