ADB grants Rs 6,000 crore soft loan to MP for building, upgrading road networks

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted a Rs 6,000 crore soft loan for strengthening and building road network in Madhya Pradesh, state public works department minister announced Saturday. 

"To get loan from ADB is like cracking a hard nut. Madhya Pradesh has got the biggest loan in the country for mere two to three per cent interest," PWD Minister Sartaj Singh told reporters while presenting report card of his performance during the year.

Singh said that roads under limits of big cities would be transferred to municipal corporations for construction and maintenance work.

Currently, half of the roads in big cities come under the PWD department while the rest are with the municipal body, which has often led to ambiguity over maintenance work, he added.

He said that four cases of bridge collapse have been reported in last 12 months in the state. Inquiries have been ordered and the guilty will be punished, he added.

Singh said the Central government had allotted Rs 206 crore to his department last year and they are anticipating a Rs 300 crore grant against their demand of Rs 450 crore in the current fiscal.

He said that 3,086 km of new roads have been laid against the target of 2,500 kms in the current calendar year, adding, similarly 39 big bridges have been built against the target of 38 in the state.