Bihar government approves ₹17,000 crore for rural road projects
What's the story
The Bihar government has approved rural road projects worth more than ₹17,000 crore.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The approval includes 37 projects under the rural works division, covering different districts of the state.
Further, Additional Chief Secretary S Siddharth announced that the approved projects also include the construction and maintenance of 11,251 roads.
These new routes will span a total distance of 19,876km across the state.
Infrastructure expansion
Over 11,000 roads to be constructed across Bihar
The total expenditure for these infrastructure developments is estimated at ₹17,266 crore.
The district of Madhubani will see the construction of 706 roads spanning 1,237km.
This project is budgeted at ₹1,221 crore. Aurangabad district has been given the longest stretch of road with 1,252km across 576 roads, estimated to cost ₹1,125 crore.
Gaya district will witness the construction of 629 roads over a distance of 1,241km. The projects will cost ₹936 crore.
Infrastructure details
Gaya and Muzaffarpur districts' road project details
Meanwhile, Muzaffarpur will get 614 roads over 993km at a cost of ₹733 crore.
The announcement was made ahead of the state assembly polls, due this year.
The elections will see CM Kumar make a fresh bid for power in alliance with the BJP.
He faces Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), who aims to capitalize on the state's two-decade anti-incumbency to return to power.