The state government will on March 28 organise public events to lay foundation stones for rural roads in each of over 3,000 gram panchayats in Bengal as part of its campaign to promote the newly launched Rastashree scheme with an eye on forthcoming panchayat polls.

The Bengal government has allotted Rs 3,000 crore in its budget proposals for 2023-24 to construct rural roads and repair existing rural roads. The allocation was made to address the poor condition of rural roads, which has become an issue ahead of the rural polls for the ruling party. A stretch of 11,500 km of rural roads has been taken under this new scheme.

Sources said there would be a state-level programme in Calcutta where chief minister Mamata Banerjee would be present and at the same time such public events of laying down foundation stones would be organised at each of the gram panchayats, blocks, subdivisions and districts.

“The state government has taken the initiative to promote its newly launched Rastashree scheme under which hundreds of new rural roads will be constructed and hundreds of such roads repaired. The state government has asked us to put up several flexes and banners to let the people know which roads in their area will be constructed or repaired,” said a senior state government official.

In an order issued by the panchayat and rural development department, district magistrates have been told that foundation-stone-laying ceremonies should be followed by public events in every gram panchayat. The order has sought the presence of elected representatives of the rural bodies concerned.

In each programme, the local administration will also ensure a gathering of at least 500 people among whom at least 50 per cent should be women.

“At least twenty hoardings/ flex/ posters bearing the name of the roads being constructed/ upgraded (design to be provided by this department) will be put up at important locations of the gram panchayats. Similar publicity will also be given at block, sub-division and district headquarters,” the order issued by the panchayat and rural development department reads.

Sources said the state government has decided to focus on the construction and repairing of rural roads because building metal roads has been the cornerstone of Trinamul’s development agenda since the change of guard in 2011.

During the visit of Trinamul leaders to rural areas as part of the Didir Doot (Didi’s emissary) drive, complaints about the bad condition of rural roads and the demand for building new roads came up.

After considering the reports, the state government decided to grant a special fund worth Rs 3,000 crore to build rural roads despite having tremendous pressure on its exchequer.

“The state could not repair or construct many roads in rural Bengal because of a dearth of funds after the Centre held back its share under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). The Centre held back the funds as the state government had changed the name of the scheme in Bengal. As a result, the state has set its eye on building better rural roads,” said a senior panchayat department official.