NABARD has sanctioned 44 projects including 39 road projects and five bridge projects, amounting to Rs. 161.35 crores in Himachal Pradesh under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF-XXV) in favour of Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD), yesterday. Under these projects new road constructions of 143.13 kilometers, upgradation and metalling tarring of 60.68 kilometers and construction of five bridges would be done.The Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur expressed his gratitude towards NADBARD for sanctioning current batch of roads and bridges under RIDF-XXV. He also said that NABARD (RIDF) is playing a significant role in road connectivity in rural areas and it has a special importance for a hill state like Himachal Pradesh where roads are the only mode of connectivity. He congratulated HPPWD for preparation of the projects and directed the department to call the tenders and start the work on these projects.Principal Secretary PWD J.C. Sharma assured the Chief Minister that the department would put its best efforts to implement these projects. He further informed that 115 projects including 102 roads and 13 bridges amounting to Rs. 464.83 crores have been sanctioned under RIDF-XXIV during the financial year 2019-20.