New Delhi, January 29:Strong infrastructure, including roads, housing, tap water connections, and digital connectivity, has been vital for inclusivity, as it links communities to markets, services, and opportunities that enhance the quality of life states the Economic Survey 2025-26 was tabled in Parliament today by the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.
Government launched Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) (referred to as PMGSY-I) on 25 December 2000 with the primary objective of providing all-weather road connectivity to the eligible unconnected habitations in rural India (500 persons and above in plains & 250 persons and above in hilly and NE areas as per the 2001 census). As of 15 January 2026, more than 99.6 per cent of eligible households have been provided with connectivity. Moreover, under PMGSY-I,1,64,581 roads (6,44,735 km) & 7,453 bridges have been sanctioned, and 1,63,665 roads (6,25,117 km) & 7,210 bridges have been completed. Under PMGSY-II, launched in 2013 6,664 roads (49,791 km) & 759 bridges have been sanctioned and 6,612 roads (49,087 km) & 749 bridges have been completed as of 15 January 2026.
The Government approved PMGSY Phase III in July 2019 for the consolidation of 1,25,000 km of routes and major rural links connecting habitations, inter alia, to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), higher secondary schools, and hospitals. Under PMGSY-III, 15,965 roads (1,22,363 km) & 3,211 bridges have been sanctioned and 12,699 roads (1,02,926 km) & 1,734 bridges have been completed of 15 January 2026.
With the aim to achieve the objective of ‘Housing for All’, the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana -Gramin is being implemented w.e.f. 1 April 2016 with the aim of providing 4.95 crore pucca houses with basic amenities to all eligible houseless households living in kutcha and dilapidated houses in rural areas by 2029. A total target of 4.14 crore houses has been allocated to states/UTs, out of which 3.86 crore have been sanctioned, and 2.93 crore have been completed so far. Further, 76.98 lakh houses pending from earlier schemes were also completed, which takes the overall completion of houses in rural areas in the last 11 years to 3.70 crore.
To meet the aspiration for ‘Har Ghar Jal’ in rural areas, the government has been implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) since August 2019 in partnership with the states. At launch, only 3.23 crore (17 per cent) rural households had tap connections. By 20 November 2025, over 12.50 crore more households were covered, increasing total coverage to about 15.74 crore (81.31 per cent), improving the living standards of rural households.
Technology –Driven participation of Rural India
Technology serves as a powerful catalyst for inclusivity, breaking down barriers and broadening access for everyone. Innovations like advanced mobile phones, satellite internet, and digital tools for agriculture are helping to close the ‘digital divide’, bringing vital services to even the most remote areas. The recent Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom 2025 confirms the positive trend. Schemes like Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) and Namo Drone Didi are potent examples of how technology can foster inclusivity in village life.
As of December 2025, the drone survey under SVAMITVA has been completed in 3.28 lakh villages, against a target of nearly 3.44 lakh villages notified for drone survey. 2.76 crore property cards have been prepared for nearly 1.82 lakh villages. Lead Fertiliser Companies distributed 1,094 drones to SHG Drone Didis in 2023-24 using their own resources, with 500 of these drones provided under the Namo Drone Didi Scheme.
Additionally, the government has been implementing the computerisation and digitisation of rural land records since FY08 through the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), At the all-India level, digitisation of Record of Rights (RoRs) in rural areas has been completed to the extent of 99.8 per cent of available land records.
(PIB)
