New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has now come forward to extent assistance for the construction of rural roads in the state under the Prime Minister Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).
The ADB and the Centre Tuesday signed a $250 million loan deal to finance 6,254 km of all weather rural roads in Orissa, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal under the Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Program.
The programme is aimed at improving rural connectivity, facilitating safer and more efficient access to livelihood and socio-economic opportunities for rural communities through improvements to 12,000 km of rural roads.
Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission who signed the agreement for ADB, said the investment will support the government’s drive for innovative approaches to reduce costs, conserve non-renewable natural resources, and promote the use of waste in rural road construction. He said that road maintenance will be ensured through a 5-year post-construction maintenance clause in civil work contracts.
The investment programme builds on the $800 million ADB-financed first Rural Connectivity Investment Program of 2012 that added about 9,000 km of all weather rural roads in the same states.
“In view of increased rainfall and storm surges in project states, the road designs will take into account climate risks with measures like greater elevation of road embankments, slope protection, and better drainage in flood-prone areas. Women were extensively consulted during the project design and will gain key benefits, including improved access to healthcare, livelihoods and schooling,” a release from the Centre said Tuesday.
PNN
