SHILLONG: Construction of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has been hit hard in Garo Hills region ostensibly due to militancy, PWD (Roads) Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said on Tuesday.
Dhar admitted that contractors were reluctant to participate in the tender process for construction of roads under PMGSY due to fear of being targeted by militants.
In his response to queries from Saleng Sangma (Ind), the Minister said that for as many as 14 projects tenders were called at least thrice but there were no response from the contractors.
Earlier, Dhar informed that a total amount of Rs.337.75 crore out of a total clearance value of Rs.1082.69 crore has been sanctioned in the State till date under PMGSY.
He also informed that the total expenditure till date has been Rs.290.51 crore while the length of road constructed was 554.407 km out of which 121.087 km of roads had been black-topped.
Elephant population
Forest Minister Prestone Tynsong informed the State Assembly that he would examine the suggestion of NPP legislator James Sangma to update the total elephant population in Meghalaya.
In his reply to a question by Sangma, the Minister said that as per the last census in 2008, there were 1811 elephants in the State.
Sangma, however, pointed out that as per reports there had been a decrease in the population of elephants in the State and suggested the need for a fresh census to determine the elephant population in Meghalaya.