The Andhra Pradesh government is set to transform rural connectivity by embarking on an extensive mission to construct 7,213 km of roads, backed by a budget of ?4,976 crore. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan announced this initiative during a review meeting with officials from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Panchayat Raj engineering department at his camp office on Thursday.

Emphasizing the crucial role of a robust road network for state development, Kalyan instructed officials to prepare detailed estimates for road construction in villages. This initiative is part of the Rural Road Project, which was launched with AIIB support in 2018-19, aiming to connect all villages with populations exceeding 250.

To maintain a pace of road construction worth ?200 crore each month, the state government will need to provide a ?75 crore matching grant, while AIIB will contribute ?125 crore. Kalyan directed the officials to develop a dedicated online portal to monitor project progress and include a section for public suggestions. He also indicated plans to request the Centre to reduce the matching grant to 10% of the project cost.

With this initiative, the Andhra Pradesh government aims to significantly improve rural infrastructure, ensuring better access and connectivity for its residents.