By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 16, 2019: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday shot off a letter to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari seeking early sanction of 30 road project proposals to the tune of Rs 1261.98 crore under the Central Road Fund (CRF) scheme.

Patnaik said the proposals, mostly for tribal and backward areas of the State, were submitted to the ministry on December 20, 2018 for approval under CRF Scheme.

Of the 30 projects, 29 are related to widening and maintenance of roads and one proposal pertains to construction of a high-level bridge over river Subarnarekha at Haladipada near West Bengal border, he said.

“Except for one road project in Puri district, which is necessary for the convenience of tourists, all the other projects pass through tribal and backward pockets in 13 districts of the state,” Patnaik said in the letter.

The CM also pointed out that no project has been sanctioned in the last fiscal as well as the current financial year under the said scheme for Odisha.

“Keeping in view the importance of the proposals for tribal and backward regions of the state, I would request for favourable consideration and early sanction of these road projects,” the CM added.