Sun Jun 01 15:57:43 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Headline: Wayanad MP Urges Minister to Expedite Rural Road Approvals for Tribal Areas**

**Kozhikode, June 1, 2025 (The Hindu)** — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Member of Parliament for Wayanad, has appealed to Union Minister for Rural Development, Agriculture, and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to accelerate approvals for rural road construction projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV (PMGSY-IV) in the Wayanad district of Kerala.

In a letter addressed to Mr. Chouhan, Ms. Vadra highlighted the slow pace of approvals by the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA). While the Kerala State Rural Roads Development Agency has identified and approved 331 unconnected habitations in Wayanad, only 64 in the Kalpetta block have received NRIDA’s approval through the Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS).

Ms. Vadra emphasized that no habitations in the Sulthan Bathery, Mananthavady, or Panamaram blocks, which have significant tribal populations, have been approved despite PMGSY-IV guidelines prioritizing tribal villages in aspirational blocks. She also raised concerns about 25 habitations being incorrectly classified as connected on the OMMAS platform.

Ms. Vadra requested that Mr. Chouhan intervene to ensure NRIDA expedites the approval process for the pending habitations. Furthermore, she urged him to allow local authorities in Wayanad to update the OMMAS software to accurately reflect the status of habitations, ensuring the data remains current and reliable. The timely completion of these road projects is crucial for improving connectivity and accessibility for the rural communities of Wayanad.

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