Kottayam:
Kerala government would take steps to restart all pending works under Prime Minister GrameenaSadak Yojana, state rural development and registration minister K C Joseph said.
Tenders would be invited for the works of 303 roads sanctioned by the Centre till 2011. The cabinet had given its sanction for the tender, he told reporters.
He said the additional expenditure needed for the work would be allotted by the state government. In the currentbudget Rs 20 crore had been allotted and Rs 50 crore set aside in the plan fund.
During the tenure of the previous LDF government. tenders were invited for the work of 303 roads, but work for 50 roadswas received due to low rates. The Centre will allot Rs 83.6 crore for the work as per the schedule of 2010, he said.
Joseph said the cabinet has decided to sanction excess tender amount for the works. The work of 253 roads for whichtenders were not received would be re-tendered separately.
As per PMGSY scheme in the last six years, Andhra Pradesh spent Rs 4018.2 crore, Tamil Nadu Rs 2045.6 crore andKarnataka Rs 3198.4 crore. Kerala which was allotted Rs. 976 crore spent only Rs 489 crore, he said.
He said Kerala was lagging behind in utilising funds under PMGSY scheme. In the 12th plan the government has decided tostart work for 2000 km road under the scheme, he said.