Public housing programs in the country started with the rehabilitation of refugees immediately after independence and since then, it has been a major focus area of the Government as an instrument of poverty alleviation. Rural housing program, as an independent Programme, Started with Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) in January 1996.

Rural Road Connectivity is not only a key component of rural development by promoting access to economic and social services and thereby generating increased agricultural incomes and productive employment opportunities in India, it is also as a result, a key ingredient in ensuring sustainable poverty reduction.

Under PMGSY-I, out of the targets fixed under new connectivity as well as up-gradation over 70% of the projects have been sanctioned and a large proportion has been completed. However, the roads, both taken under the PMGSY - I as well as other schemes for rural roads, have not received the desired attention on the maintenance front for a number of reasons, including low contracting capacity, poor maintenance practices, the inadequate feeling of ownership of the newly created roads at State level, etc. This has led to the erosion of assets created under various programmers and the sustainability of assets created has not been ensured.

The Programme implementation is to be monitored not only electronically, but also through community participation (Social Audit), but also through community participation (Social Audit), Members of Parliament (Disha Committee), central and State Government officials, National Level Monitores etc.