Naveen launches Rs 1,000 crore Biju Setu Yojna

Ahead of Panchayat polls in January-February 2012, the Orissa government has announced yet another rural bridge construction scheme with a projected outlay of Rs 1,000 crore over next three years.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the scheme today at the state secretariat.

“Around 400 bridges in rural areas will be built in next three years and the cost of the project will be approximately Rs 1,000 crore. It will help the farmers. It will help the students to get to their educational institutions and the women, who can reach healthcare centres easily,” Patnaik said at the meeting.

This is the third such rural construction scheme that has been announced by the state government in last two weeks. Earlier, the state government allocated Rs 1,000 crore to rebuild bridges damaged in the recent devastating flood. It had also earmarked Rs 150 crore to rebuild concrete roads in 3,000 flood-hit villages.

Currently, 121 bridges are under construction by different state funded schemes.

Government officials said existing schemes for bridges were unable to cater to the requirement of the state, and hence the new scheme was launched to connect all the missing links on roads under Rural Development department.

In addition, Biju Setu Yojna will also cover Panachayat Samiti roads that come under the Panchayati Raj department. BSY was formulated to provide all-weather road network across the length and breadth of the state, said a government release.

The government will fund this bridge building scheme from its own resources, said chief secretary B K Patnaik.

“We have targeted to build 100 bridges in current year and will make rest of the bridges in next two years. We will fund the project from our tax and non-tax revenue. If needed, we can approach for (central government sponsored) Rural Infrastructure Development Fund,” he said.