New Delhi/Chambéry (France): India has secured a major global recognition in rural infrastructure and digital governance at the 17th World Congress of the PIARC held in Chambéry, France.
A research paper titled “Development and Implementation of Performance-Based Assessment Matrix for Economy in Rural Roads Maintenance Management in PMGSY in India” by Pradeep Agrawal won the PIARC Prize in the Low- and Middle-Income Countries category, placing India among six global awardees.
The Congress witnessed participation from over 2,000 delegates and experts from more than 60 countries, underscoring the significance of the achievement.
The award recognises India’s work under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in transforming rural road maintenance through digital governance.
The e-MARG platform enables performance-based payments linked to actual road conditions using geo-tagged evidence and real-time monitoring.
The paper, part of Agrawal’s PhD research under Dr. Gurendra Nath Bhardwaj of NIIT University, received strong appreciation from global experts, many of whom showed interest in replicating the model.
Agrawal, former Director (Projects), NRIDA, said, “This recognition reflects India’s commitment to transparent, technology-driven and citizen-centric governance… delivering measurable outcomes for society.”
The achievement highlights the success of flagship initiatives under Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, supported by the Ministry of Rural Development and state agencies.