2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 19, 2026 04:46 AM IST
The Centre on Saturday decided to extend the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III (PMGSY-III) beyond March 2025 till 2028-29, with an increase in the outlay by Rs 3,727 crore to Rs 83,977 crore.
A decision to this effect was taken during the meeting of the Union Cabinet, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Briefing the media on Cabinet decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the government has decided to extend the PMGSY-III till March 2028 for the completion of roads and bridges in plain areas and roads in hilly areas and extension of timeline till March 2029 for completion of bridges in hilly areas.
As per an official statement, the outlay of the scheme has been revised to Rs 83,977 crore from the original outlay of Rs 80,250 crore.
“Works sanctioned before 31.03.2025 but un-awarded till now may be taken up for tender/award,” the statement said. “Long Span Bridges (LSBs) (161 Nos. with estimated cost of Rs.961 crore) pending for sanction but lying on the alignment of already sanctioned roads may be sanctioned and tendered/awarded,” it added.
The new approval also involves consolidation of through routes and major rural links connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), higher secondary schools and hospitals.
The first phase of the PMGSY was launched on December 25, 2000, by the then NDA government headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The second phase was launched in 2013.
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After these two phases, another component of the PMGSY—Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA)—was launched in 2016 for constructing rural roads in the LWE areas. The third phase was launched in 2019, with a sanctioned road length of 1,15,446 km.
In September 2024, the Centre had approved the implementation of the PMGSY-IV during the financial year 2024-25 to 2028-29, with an outlay of Rs 70,125 crore.
