MINUTES OF THE REGIONAL REVIEW MEETING HELD ON

29TH & 30TH JUNE, 2015 AT BENGALURU, KARNATAKA

Participating States: Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and
Telangana.
A Regional Review Meeting of PMGSY for the Southern Zone (Andhra Pradesh,
Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana) was held on 29th & 30th June, 2015 at
Bengaluru under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary (RC) & DG, NRRDA.
No
representative from Goa was present during the review meeting.
On the first day, State-wise progress and item-wise review through power point
presentation and discussions (Annexure I-A) & (Annexure I-B) was carried out.
At the outset, Shri Mahesh M Hiremath , Chief Operating Officer (COO), Karnataka
Rural Road Development Agency (KRRDA), welcomed Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Joint
Secretary (RC) & DG, NRRDA, other officials from MoRD, NRRDA and State
representatives and expressed gratitude on behalf of the State Government for having been
given an opportunity to organize the Regional Review Meeting of PMGSY at Bengaluru.
Joint Secretary (RC) & DG, NRRDA welcomed the officers of participating States.
He emphasized that PMGSY is one of the better structured and managed flagship
programmes and its hallmark is quality. Hence, there is a need for maintaining
prescribed quality and to ensure regular maintenance of the assets already created
under PMGSY. For better quality control mechanism, States should universalise smart
mobile based application for SQM inspection; training should be given to existing as
well as newly appointed SQMs / NQMs and PIUs engineers on this application. States
should also focus on liquidating Action Taken Reports (ATRs) pending for more than
one year and online updation of ATRs.
Joint Secretary (RC) & DG, NRRDA underlined the importance of maintenance
and suggested that States should move towards having a dedicated Rural Roads
Maintenance Policy and a Maintenance Management System for Rural Roads. This
would ensure that the high investments made in creation of road assets are protected over the
entire design life of PMGSY roads. For this purpose, Ministry had already circulated a
standard template along with Guidance Note developed by NRRDA and ILO to all the States.
He further informed that at present only Eight States (Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand) have prepared
and notified such policies. Other States may use these policies and customize them to suit
their State specific needs. He requested participating States to quickly frame a Rural
Road Maintenance Policy (RRMP) and obtain the State Cabinets approval and also
notify in the State Gazette. Once RRMP is in place, SRRDA can use it as an enabling tool
to obtain funds money from State Finance Department for regular maintenance of rural roads.

JS (RC) & DG advised all the States to use non-conventional material, locally
available materials and Environment friendly new technologies on a large scale in the
construction of PMGSY roads. In this regards, a standard template of agreement with the
supplier / technology promoter and agreement with STAs, for Pavement Performance
Evaluation Study was issued from MoRD/ NRRDA with New Technology Guidelines on 8 th
May, 2013. The same is also available on website and a copy will be sent to participating
States again. Director (Technical) also informed that a detailed Advisory on converting
existing already sanctioned DPRs into new technology (R&D) DPRs will be issued
shortly and will also be made available on PMGSY website (www.pmgsy.nic.in).
JS (RC) also explained about updating the data of CBR on already sanctioned projects
on OMMAS. A provision has also been made on OMMAS for uploading the data of
CBR in Proposal Module. States were requested to upload this data for atleast the
projects sanctioned after 2008-09 through SRRDA login or PIU login. This would then
be reflected in a digital CBR map available on the OMMAS.
On the issue of reconciliation of eligible unconnected habitations and mapping of
habitations on already sanctioned proposals and those covered under State schemes, Director
(Technical) informed that this issue has been discussed in every Review Meeting in the past.
Data on OMMAS is not exactly matching with what has been provided to NRRDA even after
15 years of implementation of PMGSY. Director (Technical) further intimated that a letter
dated 5th March 2015 has already been sent to all Principal Secretaries / Secretaries in-charge
of PMGSY requesting the State to provide the data on Left out Habitations and the
Habitations wrongly reported as connected in the Core Network. Ministry will take a call on
this after receipt of such information from States. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and
Telangana have agreed to reconcile and finally freeze their Habitation Master by 10th of
July, 2015.
Engineer-in-Chief, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana informed that they have
submitted proposals in hard copies about addition of new habitations of population 100249 in the identified LWE affected blocks, in the Core Network.
Regarding works sanctioned under New Technologies (R&D), Director (Technical &
Projects-I), NRRDA informed that in order to keep record of the New Technology projects, a
new provision has been made on OMMAS and all the States have been requested to update
the details of R&D works under the new format on OMMAS giving complete details of the
road, length taken up under R&D, layer wise and also update the details of completion of
such roads. Data Entry on OMMAS by the States on R&D Module was also displayed,
indicating that data being uploaded in some cases is neither correct nor complete hence the
States must take care of it.
States may consider separately empanelling more experienced and well equipped
consultants for preparation of DPRs for such R&D works. As the IRC specifications for most
of these technologies are already available, States may enter into MoU with STAs or any
other recognized government agency for performance evaluation of such roads, at local level

and the expenditure on this may be met from administrative expenditure fund. The State and
STAs may decide mutually the fees for pavement performance evaluation at the time of
entering into bilateral MoU. Director (Technical) advised all the States to upload exact
length of technology, cost, photographs (atleast 5 photographs during execution and 2-3
photographs of different location after completion) and also upload performance reports
etc for such works on OMMAS.
Director (Technical & Projects-I) emphasised his concern over the non-completion of
the projects sanctioned prior to 2010-11 in Andhra Pradesh (68 road works), Kerala (151
road works) and Telangana (66 road works). He asked the States to send the monthly
completion plan for such incomplete roads based on realistic assessment of field and
other conditions with current status. Director (RC-PMK) also reminded that if the
financial closure of physically complete road works, does not take place in time, the States
may not be able to get funds as per Para 19.2 of the PMGSY Guidelines. COO, KRRDA
informed that remaining 2 road works sanctioned during 2012-13 (total 40 road works
sanctioned) will be completed by end of December, 2015.
Regarding 1st tier of Quality Control, Director (Projects-III) & Chief Quality
Coordinator (CQC) informed that a provision has been made in the OMMAS at the PIU
login to upload the geo-tagged and time-stamped photographs of the field lab
corresponding to each package, which is also to be validated by the SQC in OMMAS . It
emerged that out of the participating States, the States of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra
Pradesh have uploaded such details for their 63%, 32% and 6% of their on-going works
(packages) respectively. Other States (Tamil Nadu and Telangana) are yet to start making
these entries. Respective SQCs need to ensure that entries for lab are made by PIU for all
ongoing projects on OMMAS. SQC of Tamil Nadu and Telangana have assured that by
10th July, 2015, all packages with Lab established would be entered in OMMAS. CQC
highlighted that NQMs consistently report about field laboratories with necessary equipments
not established which is a serious issue and also in contravention with the agreement
provisions. CQC expressed concern that NQM comments about quality arrangements being
unsatisfactory are too frequent and are a cause for worry. It was suggested that SQCs should
hold regular review meetings with PIUs so that there is appreciable improvement in
comments on quality assurance arrangements and the results recorded in the quality assurance
registers are reliable. Specific attention is required on aspects such as Quality
Arrangements, Maintenance of Quality Control Registers and also Verification of test
results etc. SQMs should correlate the test results.
Regarding 2nd tier of Quality Control, during course of discussions regarding
pendency of SQM inspection on road works not inspected even once, which have been
completed in 2013-14. It was pointed out that States of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana have not been able to show appreciable results. CQC requested all the States to
quickly clear all pendency of SQM inspections (focussing on roads which have not been
inspected even once) and for this to happen, the SQM scheduling process in the States
should be closely monitored by Engineer-in-Chief/ CEs/ COO of SRRDA.

CQC suggested that the inspection reports of SQMs as also the MPR should be
closely read and analysed by respective SQCs to find out intervention areas and accordingly
act on the issues rather than acting merely as a transmitter of reports. CQC also suggested
that SRRDA should also closely monitor the periodicity of field inspections of the PIU
officials on the ongoing projects.
Under 3rd tier of Quality Control, CQC brought out the no. of ATRs that were
pending with the States. He requested all the States to submit plan for pending ATRs to
NRRDA, with the aim of reducing ATR pendency to zero.

During the course of discussions, States raised the issue of bridge inspection format
not getting reflected in the OMMAS correctly. This appears to be an issue of
incompatibility between the format uploaded in the mobile of the SQM and in OMMAS. CDAC was instructed to rectify the issue, in next 15 days time. The States were also
directed to ascertain that such bridges are not entered as road works in OMMAS.
Director (Technical & Projects-I) reminded all the participating States to ensure
timely release of maintenance funds to SRRDA indicating that steps should be taken for its
full utilization. States should ensure that the roads constructed under the PMGSY are
maintained properly. Adequate funds for this purpose must be provided in the budget of the
State Govt. States were requested to upload maintenance expenditure on OMMAS regularly.
He informed that in this connection, Ministry has already issued letters to all the States.
States were also requested to deposit 100% of due amount in Maintenance account.
Non-deposition of funds in the SRRDA maintenance account will delay the release of funds
from Government of India to the States. Training for all IT Nodal Officers and Finance
Officers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana in
Maintenance Module of OMMAS will be organized before 31st July, 2015 at
NIRD&PR, Hyderabad in consultation with the State Governments as well as
NIRD&PR, Hyderabad.
Director (Technical & Projects-I) presented State-wise status of all the Clearances
issued to the 05 participating States from inception of PMGSY till May, 2015. He advised all
the States to correct the online data with respect to year of sanction, Phases, Value in Crores,
No. of Roads, No. of Bridges, Length etc on OMMAS, for which States have agreed. He
further advised the States to reconcile the year of sanction for all road works, as it appears
that year of sanction reported on OMMAS is not in accordance with the year of clearance
letter issued by the Ministry. States were requested to reconcile the data on OMMAS
within next 10 days time. State of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana should submit
bifurcation of number of road works, length and value as New Connectivity and
Upgradation category within ten days time and submit to NRRDA.

Director (Projects-II & I/c F&A) presented status of Training Programmes conducted
during the year 2015-16. (Upto May, 2015). JS (RC) informed that every year about 1200 to
1300 engineers have been trained in various training programmes. In next two years, it is
proposed to train about 6,000 engineers in different training programmes through CRRI,
IAHE and NIRD. He further informed that an MoU is being signed between NRRDA,
NIRD and IAHE for organizing various Training programmes for SRRDA engineers as well
as Contractors engineers.
Director (F&A) brought out the accounts and financial management issues. The
States also agreed to concentrate on the clearance of pending final bills of the contractors and
financially close the works on the OMMAS. In Andhra Pradesh, outstanding Advances of
Rs. 40 Crore against Contractors (age-wise breakup, status of BG and name of advances not
furnished), to be recouped. R&P Module not updated by all participating States. DPRs
advances are lying unadjusted (Andhra Pradesh Rs. 11.82 Crore, Karnataka Rs. 6.70
Crore and Tamil Nadu Rs. 3.53 Lakh). This is not in consonance with PMGSY
accounting procedures); works expenditure understated to this extent. Stale Cheques
aggregating to Rs. 4.54 Lakh not cancelled (Andhra Pradesh). Non-adjustment of
advances to Suppliers and others (Rs. 85.87 Lakh by Tamil Nadu), opening of two bank
accounts by Tamil Nadu (This is not in consonance with PMGSY Programme Guidelines,
State assured that the same will be settled by September, 2015. Diversion of funds from
Programme Fund Account to Administrative Expenses Fund (Rs. 8.95 Lakh by Tamil
Nadu), which needs to be urgently rectified. Statutory deductions not deposited with the
concerned tax authorities (Rs. 1.13 Lakh by Andhra Pradesh), this may attract penal
provisions. Non-investment of unspent balance in Short Term Deposit (Rs. 6.76 Crore by
Andhra Pradesh and Rs. 21.93 Crore by Karnataka).
Director (RC-PMK) also informed that IFD of MoRD also monitors the R&P Module
on OMMAS, especially status of Balance Sheet, before approving the release of funds,
therefore, States were requested to update OMMAS on regular basis. During the discussions,
COO, Karnataka and Engineer-in-Chief, Telangana have requested to organize training
programmes for their officials on R&P Module. It was mutually agreed that Two trainings
programmes, one for Karnataka and another for Telangana, in the implementation of
Receipt and Payment module (R&P) of OMMAS, will be organized at Bengaluru and
Hyderabad before 31st July, 2015, in consultation with respective State Governments.
NRRDA will depute Shri Arun Trivedi, CA, Shri Brij Mohan, FO and one representative
from C-DAC for these trainings programmes.
On the second day, the specific inputs from STAs, SQMs, SQCs and NQMs were
discussed. In addition, Dr. I.K. Pateriya, Director (Technical), made detailed presentations on
Maintenance Module and Feedback Module of OMMAS. Representative from BitChem,
TerraZyme and Zydex also made a presentation on CRRI-Bitchem Cold Mix Technology,
TerraZyme a bio enzymatic soil stabilizer and Moisture Resistant Rural Roads with Zydex
Design to encourage the States to use these cost effective and green technologies, in the
construction of PMGSY roads.

Director (Technical) made a detailed presentation on Revised Guidelines on Design of

Low Volume Flexible Pavements IRC:SP:72-2015, bringing out salient features introduced
now and changes made from previous version IRC:SP:72-2007. It was informed that the
charts for design of Pavements using stabilized base and sub-base courses have been included
for the first time in these guidelines and will be very useful in bringing down the cost of
construction especially in areas where traditional materials are not available within
economical leads. Several queries were raised by State officials and STAs/ PTAs which were
replied by Director (Technical).
Director (Technical) explained the feature created in public domain on OMMAS
under the heading Feedback on the Homepage and subheading Citizen Feedback and
Complaint for registering feedback and complaints by citizens. The citizens, with the use of
this feedback module, can express their concerns related to planning, progress, quality and
maintenance of any PMGSY road constructed in the State. He further informed that feedback
module of OMMAS has been designed with a view to achieve systematic approach towards
monitoring of grievances and addressing feedback. The citizens can register feedback in
Hindi or in English language. SQC will be the Nodal Officer to handle this feedback
module and will dispose off the feedbacks received under feedback module of OMMAS
portal, online. These feedbacks can be accessed using SQC login and are available
under General Tab with the name of Feedback Details. SQC, Karnataka suggested that
in this module in place of Feedback approved; we should write feedback accepted while
reverting the citizen, this suggestion was accepted.
Representative from BitChem made a presentation on Cold Mix Technology used
in construction of rural roads. It was brought that CRRI-BITCHEM Cold Mix is the simple
process of mixing unheated mineral graded aggregates with suitable grade of cold mix binder,
maintaining the proper moisture and Binder content, with proper workability. Cold Mix
Technology is environment friendly, energy efficient, labour friendly Technology (Health,
Safety). Construction is feasible during rains/ light and cold weather, 4-5 times faster
construction as compared to hot mix (Annexure-II).
M/s Zydex Industries also made a presentation on Zycosil Nano Technology,
indicating that the technology can be used for Stabilization and water proofing of pavements
(Annexure-III).
M/s TerraZyme made a presentation on TerraZyme A bio Enzymatic Soil
Stabiliser indicating benefits of using TerraZyme in construction of rural roads (AnnexureIV).
Certain queries related to these technologies were raised by officials of SRRDAs/
STAs as well as SQCs which were clarified by the concerned representatives.

Summary of the main issues.

1. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana will reconcile data and finally freeze
their habitations master on OMMAS by 10th July, 2015.
2. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had already submitted proposals regarding addition of
new habitations of population 100-249 in the identified LWE affected blocks, in the
Core Network. NRRDA to respond after verification of data in 15 days time.
3. Tamil Nadu and Telangana will upload details of all packages with Lab established in
OMMAS by 10th July, 2015.
4. States to regularly review the pending road works sanctioned upto March 2011 in detail
with the relevant PIUs, Contractors, SRRDA officials and prepare a realistic monthly
completion plan for ensuring the achievement of the target within the stipulated period
without compromising on quality.
5. States should upload exact length of technology as R&D used in construction of
rural roads, relevant technology and cost, photographs (atleast 5 photographs during
execution and 2-3 photographs of different location after completion) and also upload
performance reports etc for such works on OMMAS.
6. States have to prepare a comprehensive State specific Rural Roads Maintenance
Policy to ensure that the assets created under PMGSY are maintained upto prescribed
standards and obtain the State Cabinets approval and also notify in the State
Gazette.
7. States will reconcile the data on OMMAS with Clearance letters issued by MoRD from
time to time by 10th July, 2015 and will send task completion report to Technical
Division by 30th July, 2015 positively.
8. SQCs needs to ensure that entries for lab are made by PIU for all ongoing projects on
OMMAS. Proper monitoring of ATRs by SQMs and SQC on the observations of the
NQMs to be carried out before submission to NRRDA.
9. SQCs should hold regular review meetings with PIUs so that there is appreciable
improvement in comments on quality arrangements and the results recorded in the quality
assurance registers are reliable.
10. States to quickly clear all pendency of SQM inspections and for this to happen, the SQM
scheduling process in the States should be closely monitored by CEs/ CEOs of SRRDA.
11. States should deposit 100% funds in the SRRDA maintenance account by 31 st July,
2015.
12. States should designate SQC as Nodal Officer to handle feedback module and will
dispose off the feedbacks received under feedback module of OMMAS portal, online.
13. Two trainings programmes, one for Karnataka and another for Telangana, in the
implementation of R&P of OMMAS, will be organized at Bengaluru and Hyderabad

before 31st July, 2015, in consultation with respective State Governments. NRRDA will
depute Shri Arun Trivedi, CA, Shri Brij Mohan, FO and one representative from C-DAC
for these trainings programmes.
14. State of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana should submit bifurcation of number of
road works, length and value as New Connectivity and Upgradation category
within ten days time.
15. Training for all IT Nodal Officers and Finance Officers of Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana in Maintenance Module of
OMMAS will be organized before 31st July, 2015 at NIRD&PR, Hyderabad after in
consultation with the State Governments as well as NIRD&PR, Hyderabad.

The meeting ended with a Vote of Thanks to the Chair.

*****