The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office laid the foundation for 110 road projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana IV, Batch I of 2026-27, covering 598.455 km across the Udhampur?Kathua?Doda?Kishtwar region. The projects carry a combined sanctioned cost of Rs 15.04 billion (bn) and are expected to benefit 46,972 people, with the package aimed at strengthening all?weather rural connectivity in remote hilly areas. The distribution of works assigns Udhampur the largest share with 44 road projects covering 235.040 km at a sanctioned cost of Rs 5.55 bn. Kathua has 24 projects covering 128.925 km at about Rs 3.07 bn, while Kishtwar accounts for 16 projects covering 83.950 km at roughly Rs 2.25 bn. Ramban and Doda will receive 13 projects each covering 60.360 km and 90.180 km at approximately Rs 1.55 bn and Rs 2.61 bn respectively. Officials indicated the programme is intended to improve access to education, healthcare, markets and workplaces, noting particular gains for schoolchildren, senior citizens and women in remote habitations who face travel difficulties during the rainy season. The expanded road network is also expected to reduce travel times for rural communities and bring essential services closer to previously hard?to?reach settlements. Authorities emphasised that improved routes will assist in faster movement of security forces where terrain has previously constrained operations. A notable technical feature of several project packages is the incorporation of waste plastics into road construction, combining connectivity goals with use of alternative construction materials. Reference was made to an earlier allocation announced in May, under which the Udhampur?Kathua?Doda constituency received around 43 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s PMGSY allocation, amounting to Rs 15.24 bn against the Union Territory total of Rs 35.66 bn. The Deputy Chief Minister underlined commitment to the development agenda and instructed that contractors execute works to prescribed standards with no compromise on quality. Legislators raised issues including forest clearances and contractor defaults, and ministers assured them that concerns would be addressed for early resolution and expedited completion of the projects.