TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi/ China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) today said its board has approved USD 329 million loan to build access roads to 4,000 villages in Gujarat. “The board of directors of the AIIB approved a loan of USD 329 million to build access roads to approximately 4,000 villages in all 33 districts of Gujarat, India,” AIIB said in a statement.
Insufficient road connectivity into these villages limits their ability to access healthcare services, bring their goods to market and access transportation for their children to attend schools, it said. This project will construct and upgrade district and farm-to-market roads for the villagers and provide approaches to educational institutions, schools and hospitals.
The upgraded road access is expected to have a positive impact on women and girls by improving school attendance rates as the latter drop out due to lack of access to all weather roads. The project will also better integrate rural population, tribal villages, business and industries with the national and state economy through better transport connectivity, the statement said.
“This project will directly contribute to the economic development of Gujarat and India by improving the mobility of the rural population,” said D J Pandian, Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer, AIIB.
