claim: Bharatmala Pariyojana: Phase 1: 5,35,000 crore rupees for expanding highways sector with multi-modal integration
evidence: The Cabinet has accorded approval to the investment proposal for the umbrella highway sector programme Bharatmala Pariyojana (BMP) Phase I for development/upgradation of 34,800 km of National Highways (NHs) with an outlay of Rs.5,35,000 crore for over a five year period i.e. from 2017-18 to 2021-22. In addition, 48,877 kms of projects under other ongoing schemes like NH(O), Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North East (SARDP-NE), Externally Aided Projects (EAP) and Roads Projects in Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (LWE) are also to be implemented during the same period. This has an approved additional outlay of Rs.1,57,324 crore. Therefore, including Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I, 83,677 kms of highway sector projects are proposed to be implemented with an overall cost of Rs.6,92,324 crore over a five year period. [...] Union Budget for 2018-19 gave massive push to National Highways as the budgetary allocation was pegged at Rs 71,000 crore, up from Rs 61,000 crore allocated during 2017-18. "India needs massive infrastructure development up to Rs 50 lakh crore… At this speed, I am confident we will complete construction of 90,000 km of National Highways," Arun Jaitley, union minister for finance, said during the budget speech.