New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS): A total of 1,66,798 roads, measuring 6,84,994 km and 6,404 Long Span Bridges (LSBs) have been completed till January 18, 2022, under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Economic Survey 2021-22 data have showed.

During the same time frame, a total of 1,82,506 roads measuring 7,82,844 km and 9,456 (LSBs) have been sanctioned.

The primary objective of the PMGSY is to provide connectivity, by way of an all-weather road with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures, which is operable throughout the year, to eligible unconnected habitations in rural areas.

Meanwhile, 2.17 crore houses have been sanctioned and 1.69 crore houses completed against a target of 2.63 crore houses till 2021-22 under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).

"As on January 18, 2022, the states and union territories have identified 4,46,058 landless beneficiaries in the permanent wait list of PMAY-G, out of which 2,05,847 (46 per cent) have been provided with land by the concerned states and union territories. Performance of the scheme was impressive during from 2016-17 to 2021-22," the survey stated.

Under the scheme, landless beneficiaries are accorded highest priority in allotment of houses.

In 2019, the World Bank, in an evaluation of the scheme, found that PMGSY roads had a positive impact on human capital formation in rural India.

"Children in middle or high school had 0.7 more years of schooling in 2017, share of babies delivered at home decreased by 30 per cent in connected habitations. While the vaccination among children under the age of four increased by 15 percentage points, with boys and girls benefiting equally," the survey stated.