Asian Development Bank Offers US$300 Million Loan For India Rural Roads

By Shakir Husain NEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Indian government on Wednesday signed a US$300 million loan agreement to boost road connectivity in the western state of Maharashtra. The funding will be used to improve 1,100 rural roads and 230 bridges for a total length of 2,900 km in 34 districts, according to a statement. The project will rebuild and rehabilitate road infrastructure destroyed by the floods in August 2019 in Maharashtra. "Improved connectivity through climate-resilient, all-weather rural roads will help accelerate Maharashtra’s economic recovery from COVID-19 shock by generating rural employment and transforming agriculture," said Takeo Konishi, the ADB's country director for India. -- BERNAMA