MP govt to lay 54,000 km roads

In an attempt at fulfiling its poll promises of improving roads, electricity and water, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has constructed over 13,558 km of roads and plans to construct another 40,000 km before its term expires in December 2008.

"In the last 28 months, 9,886 km roads were constructed under schemes like National highways, Kisan Road Fund and NABARD Fast Track Project. Another 3,672 km were added under the PM's Rural Roads Programme," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said today.

He added, "Improvement is being noticed. We plan to construct another 40,000 km of roads in the next two years. Around 117 of the 371 promises made by the BJP have been fulfiled and work is on to realise the rest."

Claiming that the state was slowly evolving as a developed and power sufficient one, he said, "The production capacity will be raised by 3,753 Mw in the next two years, making Madhya Pradesh a power surplus state in 2007-08."

"Besides getting 2,215 Mw from central units and long-term electricity agreements and another 228 Mw from Sardar Sarovar project, power will also be generated from the state's own projects including Birsinghpur Thermal Power Plant (500 Mw), Amarkantak Thermal Plant(210 mw), Omkareshwar Hydel (520 Mw) and Bansagar (80Mw)," he added.

Further claiming that the improved infrastructure had already resulted in increased investment,Chouhan said that a Project Clearance and Implementation Board had been formed to act as a link between between government and industry and to clear hindrances in implementation of projects.

He credited the Centre's decision to declare Dewas as a town of excellence for pharmaceutical exports to his government. The government also proposed setting up a crystal as well as an IT park in Indore.

Elaborating on efforts made to improve availability of water, he said that besides floating schemes like the Jalabhishek Abhiyan to raise ground water level, the BJP government has enhanced irrigation capacity by 2.58 lakh hectare in last 28 months.