Patna, Sept. 25: The cabinet today gave its nod to several road and bridge projects across the state to boost development.

It approved Rs 202 crore to build 29.2km of roads in Vaishali, strengthening and widening of roads of around 10.77km and 16.25km in Nalanda and Gaya, respectively. It also gave its nod to construction of a bridge in West Champaran and construction of a cross drain, and widening and strengthening of a 21.85km road in Nalanda.

It sanctioned Rs 23.47 crore for construction of a 4.87-km service lane on Bailey Road in the western part of the capital. It also approved the road construction department’s proposal to build a cross drain, a side drain and an approach path for the north and south sides of the service lane, cabinet co-ordination department principal secretary Ravikant said. It also approved Rs 683.1 crore to be given as funds to urban local bodies and rural local bodies under the Backward Regions Grant Fund by the Centre.

The cabinet also sanctioned Rs 210.01 crore to be spent between 2013-14 and 2019-20 under Hariyali Mission to boost the state’s green cover by planting six crore trees. The government aims to increase the forest/tree coverage area to 15 per cent by 2017 from 9.79 per cent.

The cabinet gave a green light to extend the tenure of the judicial inquiry commission probing the breach in the eastern embankment of the Kusaha dam on Kosi till March 31, 2013. The breach had occurred on August 18, 2008.