Odisha has got nearly Rs 750-crore grant in a year, an all-time high, from the Union Government to undertake various road projects, mostly in tribal and backward regions.
While the State received Rs400.97 crore from the Central Road Fund (CRF) it got Rs198 crore under the Economic Importance Scheme and Rs 148 core for Inter State Connectivity Scheme on a single day.
This was informed by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to the State Government on Thursday.
Odisha used to get an average Rs100 crore over these years from the CRF.
With the CRF grant, at least 12 road and bridge projects would be taken up which were facing financial crunch.
While the State Government is spending Rs3,000 crore from the State Road Project Funds every year, funding from the CRF amounting to Rs400 crore would boost the project works, said a senior departmental officer.
Rs 31 crore has been sanctioned for erection of a high-level bridge over river Budhabalanga at Baripada, which would connect the Seragarh-Nilgiri-Udala-Baripada-Medinipore Border Road.
Rs25.33 crore has been sanctioned for a high-level bridge over river Ong on the Sohela-Nuapada State Highway along with another Hl bridge on the same highway with a cost of Rs17.74 crore.
Roads projects for Balangir-Kantabanji-Bangomunda-Chandutora, Khallikote-Boirani-Aska-Balipadar-Belguntha, Sohela-Nuapada, Sinapali-Ghatipada and Ampani-Dharamgarh would be undertaken under the CRF.
Under the Economic Importance Scheme, two major projects of western Odisha would be taken up while under the Inter State Connectivity Scheme Major District Roads connecting Umarkote-Chandahandi-Malegaon and Gopalpur-Chhattisgarh would be undertaken, for which about Rs350 crore would be available.
Now with this huge jump in funds flow from the CRF, Odisha would be greatly benefitted for taking up road infrastructure projects.