UP govt earmarks Rs 3,522 crore for maintenance of roads, expressways

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Uttar Pradesh government Thursday earmarked Rs 3,194 crore for the construction of expressways and Rs 13,135 crore for laying of roads in the state. Presenting the budget speech in the state assembly, Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal said the Uttar Pradesh government has also earmarked Rs 3,522 crore for the maintenance of roads and expressways by the Public Works Department (PWD).

"For construction of expressways, a total budgetary provision of Rs 3,194 crore has been made in the budget for 2019-20. Out of the total provisioned amount - Rs 1,194 crore is for Purvanchal Expressway and Rs 1,000 crore each for Bundelkhand Expressway and Gorakhpur Link Expressway," Agarwal said. Besides Rs 500 crore is proposed for land acquisition to develop defence corridor along with Bundelkhand expressway and Rs 100 crore allocated for strengthening of the proposed Agra-Lucknow entry-controlled 6-lane expressway (Green Field) project, he said.

A provision of Rs 600 crore for implementation of Infrastructure and Industrial Investment Policy-2012, Rs 482 crore for Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy-2017 and Rs 120 crore has been allocated for Industrial Investment Promotion Scheme-2003. A provision of Rs 180 crore has been made for Industrial Investment Promotion Scheme-2012. For public welfare, Rs 13,135 crore is proposed for construction of roads under PWD and Rs 3,522 crore for maintenance of roads.

There is also a provision of Rs 2,100 crore for construction and maintenance of bridges, Rs 850 crore to connect the villages and settlements through concrete link roads under various schemes and Rs 1,174 crore for widening and strengthening of important roads on the interstate and international border. The budget also had a provision of Rs 2,010 crore for Central Road Fund Scheme, Rs 350 crore for the construction of roads under the World Bank aided Uttar Pradesh Core Road Network Project, the minister said.

A budgetary provision of Rs 614 crore for construction of roads has been proposed under Uttar Pradesh main district development Project funded by Asian Development Bank, Rs 702 crore under the NABARD funded Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) scheme for construction, widening and reinforcement of roads as well as construction of bridges in rural areas. There was also an allocation of Rs 300 crore for special schemes of Purvanchal and Rs 200 crore for special schemes of Bundelkhand, under Special Area Programme in the budget.

(With inputs from agencies.)