National highways at loss as telecom, hospitals gain from road fund

The amount earmarked from the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund for 2019-20 is Rs 54,538.65 crore

The share of National Highways in the road fund will be reduced because of telecom and hospitals getting moneyfrom it.

The Modi government has changed the nature of the Central Road Fund and renamed it the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) through an amendment to the Central Road Fund Act, 2000. The kitty of Rs 1.28 trillion for 2019-20 is now spread thinly across 12 sectors. 

Launched in 2000, the Central Road Fund was a major revenue for the government to finance road projects. The money from the fund comes from the road cess on excise duty on petrol