A final set of new connectivity proposals worth Rs 346 crore to Gujarat is "about to get sanctioned," rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said while refuting the BJP's charge of discrimination to its ruled states in funding under the Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). 

He said upgradation of the rural roads in Gujarat for 3,484 km has been cleared and he has written to the chief minister to send proposals for the remaining 1,965 km to be upgraded in the state.

In a 3-page letter to former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, he categorically denied the charge levelled by him after a BJP chief ministers' conclave in Delhi on Saturday, dubbing accusations relating to PMGSY as "blatant falsehood."

He said the BJP chief ministers with whom he has been in regular touch will also vouch for him that no partiality is shown in sanction of funds under the programme.

"Over the last year, I have worked very hard to untangle the impasse on PMGSY in Bihar and Jharkhand, in which the BJP is in coalition. I am pleased to tell you that in both the states the programme has resumed functioning," Jairam wrote, pointing out that projects worth Rs 3,387 crore and Rs 1,107 crore respectively have been sanctioned and more sanctions are likely as the year progresses.

He went on to point out that two other BJP-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were sanctioned Rs 1,677 crore and Rs 724 crore respectively and another Rs 1,265 crore are about to be sanctioned to Madhya Pradesh.

The programme also covers upgradation of the rural roads. But his ministry stopped sanctioning fresh upgradation programmes until a huge backlog of new connectivity left in states like Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, most of whom happen to be BJP-ruled states, picks up, Jairam said.