RAJSHAHI: A rural road network project is being implemented with the main thrust of removing physical bottlenecks for improving rural accessibility, upgrading quality and enhancing sustainability of rural transport and market services in the project area, reports BSS. According to Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) sources, the estimated cost of the six-year project titled "Improvement of Rural Roads, Bridges, Culverts and other Infrastructure of Backward Upazilas" is around Taka 425 crore. A total of 53 disadvantaged upazilas under Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore, Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Sirajganj and Bogra districts were brought under the project being implemented by the LGED. Under the project, more than 105.70-km upazila roads, 323-km union roads and 502.74-km village roads were improved besides construction of 1000-meter bridges and culverts on the improved roads connecting important places of upazila and every union with Union Parishad, and next higher road network. Apart from this, 15.75-kilometers submergible roads and 4-kilometer road protection infrastructures are being constructed.
The rural level improved infrastructures have already started reducing transport cost, improving marketing system, increasing production and marketing facilities of agricultural products which are contributing a lot to socio-economic development of the project area.
Roadside tree plantation activities on the 85-kilometer improved roads are progressing successfully that will ultimately help reduce carbon emission at a substantial level and that is very important to face the adverse impact of climate change in the vast Barind tract.
A total of 15 growth centres are being improved to create short and long -term employment opportunity, socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation.
Improvement of the physical facilities of rural
markets will ensure fair price of agricultural products
and thereby provide incentives to increase agricultural production, assist enhancement of rural economic and commercial activities.
The scheme of rural infrastructure development and creation of short and long-term employment opportunities in the farm and off farm sector will ultimately assist alleviation of rural poverty by involving rural people in economic and social activities.
Participation of beneficiaries including women and local government institutions in planning, implementation and maintenance activities of the project will be intensified.
To this end, community people are being imparted training on campaigning and awareness building on health and nutrition.
At least 80 per cent work on the scheme have so far been completed, the sources said adding, implementation of these schemes would in fact further strengthen the overall activities of rural markets at the grassroots level.
With infrastructure development of the selected area, rural communication net work has been improved facilitating overall socio-economic advancement.
Abdul Wahid, additional chief engineer of LGED, told BSS here that the ongoing project is expected to be completed in near future. The improved transportation network will facilitate reducing the transportation cost and create marketing facility of the produce.
On successful competition, the project will contribute enormously to raising standard of living and livelihood condition in the remote villages, he said.