The Bihar Cabinet has approved projects worth more than ₹17,000 crore for the construction and maintenance of rural roads in the state. The announcement came a few months before the scheduled Assembly elections.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Additional Chief Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Department, S Siddharth told media that the approval was given for 37 projects of the rural works division.

“These projects include construction and maintenance of 11,251 roads, the total length of which would be 19,876 km. An expenditure of ₹17,266 crore was approved for the purpose,” said Siddharth.

A district-wise break-up showed that the maximum number of 706 roads, with a total length of 1,237 km, are to be built in Madhubani, at ₹1,221 crore.

Aurangabad district will have the largest length of roads (1,252 km), the total number being 576, at ₹1,125 crore.

Another district with a significant number of 629 roads is Gaya, where the total length would be 1,241 km and the cost involved is ₹936 crore.

Muzaffarpur will have 614 roads, covering 993 km at ₹733 crore.