Shri Nitin Gadkari approves 7 bridge projects worth Rs 118.50 Crore in Arunachal Pradesh under the Setu Bandhan Scheme

• Recently, Setu Bandhan Scheme approval was granted for seven bridge projects in Arunachal Pradesh under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF).

Setu Bandhan Scheme

• It is an initiative of the Ministry for Road Transport and Highways.
• Objective: To improve inter-state connectivity, especially in rural areas at the borders where state roads do not get the required attention.
• It is aimed at replacing railway line Level Crossings (LCs) with Road Over Bridges (ROBs)/Rail Under Bridges (RUBs) in states.

Central Road and Infrastructure Fund

• Established in 2000 under the Central Road Fund Act, 2000.
• It was previously known as the Central Road Fund.
• It falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.
• The fund is financed through a cess levied along with excise duty on petrol and diesel.
• The Central Road Fund Act, 2000, was amended in 2018 and its objectives are as follows
  • To use proceeds of the road cess under CRIF to finance other infrastructure projects.
    • Like waterways, some portion of the railway infrastructure, and even social infrastructure, including education institutions and medical colleges.

Prelims Takeaway

• Central Road and Infrastructure Fund
• Setu Bandhan Scheme