Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has given a green signal to a proposal of 273 new road project of 1,613km length, and 14 bridges amounting to Rs1,003 crore to submit to the Union Ministry of Rural Development.

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has given a green signal to a proposal of 273 new road project of 1,613km length, and 14 bridges amounting to Rs1,003 crore to submit to the Union Ministry of Rural Development.

The approval to these projects was given during a meeting of the State-Level Standing Committee on Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana (PMGSY) held under the chairmanship of HP chief secretary VC Pharka. The government has approved the new shelf of roads, which include 44 proposals of new connectivity (Stage-I) of Rs211 crore, 14 left out or missing bridges, new connectivity amounting to Rs391 crore, and upgradation of 36 roads at a cost of Rs128 crore.

Pharka said the state government was building good roads to give connectivity to difficult rural areas of the state. He directed the finance department to release state share as per the new funding pattern. As per the revised funding pattern for Himalayan states, the ratio of 90:10 between Centre and the state is being followed. "Himachal Pradesh will have to contribute 10% of the total sanction," he said.

He said the UMRD has taken a decision to complete the connectivity mandate of balance eligible habitations under PMGSY by March 2019 against the earlier target year of 2022.