SHIMLA 17 January 2020:

NABARD has sanctioned 44 projects including 39 road projects and five bridge projects, amounting to Rs. 161.35 crores in Himachal Pradesh under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF-XXV) in favour of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD), yesterday. Under these projects, new road constructions of 143.13 kilometers, up-gradation and metalling tarring of 60.68 kilometers and construction of five bridges would be done.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur expressed his gratitude towards NABARD for sanctioning the current batch of roads and bridges under RIDF-XXV. He also said that NABARD (RIDF) is playing a significant role in road connectivity in rural areas and it has special importance for a hilly state like Himachal Pradesh where roads are the only mode of connectivity. He congratulated HPPWD for the preparation of the projects and directed the department to call the tenders and start the work on these projects.

Principal Secretary PWD J.C. Sharma assured the Chief Minister that the department would put its best efforts to implement these projects. He further informed that 115 projects including 102 roads and 13 bridges amounting to Rs. 464.83 crores have been sanctioned under RIDF-XXIV during the financial year 2019-20.