Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that four components of the rural infrastructure programme – telephony, water supply, housing and new roads – have even exceeded their targets. The targets for rural electrification were also largely achieved, though there was a shortfall in irrigation coverage.

Launched in 2005, Bharat Nirman seeks to cover all Indian villages with electricity, all-weather roads, potable water and telephones by 2009, at a cost of US$ 37.9 billion. Assessing progress to date, Singh said that 30,251 villages out of 66,822 have been covered by rural telephony so far in 2006.

Bharat Nirman, along with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, National Rural Health Mission and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, is aimed at giving a “new deal to rural India” under the United Progressive Alliance government’s Common Minimum Programme.

Source: Indian government’s Press Information Bureau - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News