Rural Roads Program in progress

The Indian government has secured a US$100 million Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan for upgrade of 2,800-km all-weather rural roads in Madhya Pradesh under the Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Program.

Tranche 2 loan is part of the US$500 million Second Rural Connectivity Investment Program for India approved by the ADB Board in December 2017.

The overall program is aimed at improving rural connectivity, facilitating safer and more efficient access to livelihood and socio-economic opportunities for rural communities through improvements to about 12,000 kilometers rural roads across the states of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Tranche 1 loan of US$250 million is currently under implementation in the 5 project states, upgrading over 6,000 km of rural roads.

“The loan will improve mobility for self-employment and livelihood opportunities in rural areas by improving access to district centers,” said Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission.

“The project will continue to support the Government’s drive for innovative approaches to reduce costs, conserve non-renewable natural resources, and promote the use of waste materials in rural road construction,” he said. fiinews.com