National Highway: 927 Cr Received from 30,000 Cr Approval

Raipur | Correspondent: In the recent development, the Central Government may have approved Rs 10,000 crore for the development of national highways in Chhattisgarh.

However, the reality is that the state receives less than Rs 1,000 crore annually under this allocation.

As per a press release from the Chhattisgarh government, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari approved Rs 10,000 crore on September 30.

Another press release from the state claims that Rs 11,000 crore has been approved.

Despite these approvals, it remains uncertain how many projects will actually be implemented and how much of the allocated funds will be received in the future.

Bhupesh Baghel’s Tenure Faced Similar Challenges

Four years ago, during Bhupesh Baghel’s tenure as Chief Minister, he met with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Delhi. At that time, the state’s Public Relations Department announced the approval of three major roads to be included under the ‘Bharatmala Yojana.’

These roads were Raigarh-Dharamjaygarh Road, Ambikapur-Bhaisamuda-Wadrfnagar-Dhangaon-Bhamni-Renukut-Banaras Road, and Pandaria-Bajag-Gadasarai Road.

It was reported that Rs 20,000 crore had been sanctioned for these projects.

On April 21, 2022, in an event held at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College Auditorium in Raipur, then Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Nitin Gadkari jointly inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 33 road projects worth Rs 9,240 crore in Chhattisgarh.

Less Than Rs 1,000 Crore Received Annually

Data from the past five years indicates that the state has not received more than Rs 1,000 crore annually for the upgradation and widening of national highways.

From 2019 to 2024, Chhattisgarh has received an average of only Rs 927 crore per year.

In 2019-20, a mere Rs 456 crore was sanctioned for highway improvements. This amount increased to Rs 869 crore in 2020-21 and reached Rs 1,890 crore in 2021-22.

However, in 2022-23, the allocation dropped to Rs 980 crore, and in 2023-24, it was further reduced by more than half, to just Rs 443 crore.