New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday approved the construction of four-lane bridge including approaches over Brahmaputra between Dhubri in Assam and Phulbari in Meghalaya on National Highway 127-B.

The construction of the bridge will save huge travel distance from 205.3 km to only 19.282 km and save in time of five hours to 20 minutes between Dhubri and Phulbari.

An official release said the bridge will be built under the scheme of North-East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase-03' and it will take about six years to complete the project.

It said the project has strategic and socio-economic importance and shall be an instrument for the development of the most economically backward districts in the states of northeast.

"This alignment will further augment the transport network for the region by providing the shortest link between the western regions of Meghalaya, as well as Barak Valley region of Assam and southern states in the northeast," the release mentioned.

Besides, the CCEA approved the "Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana" for providing financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.

The JI-VAN Yojana will be supported with total financial outlay of Rs 1,969.50 crore for 2018-19 to 2023-24.

--IANS
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