KATHMANDU: Minister for Physical Infrastructures and Transport Prakash Jwala said the expansion of road network is the first and foremost priority of the incumbent government.

Minister Jwala reiterated that the incumbent government was working towards delivering on the expansion of road network projects within the stipulated time.

Maintenance of roads has been accorded top priority for which budget would be availed through the Road Board, the Minister said, adding that the sick projects would be taken forward in a new modality while contracts with erring contractors would be repealed.

He further shared that some new arrangements were put in place to ensure good governance in the transportation sector such as an easy process for obtaining a driving license, and a swift process for license renewable among others while the license’s validity period has been extended till 10 years from the existing five years.

Jwala shared that over Rs 41 billion was allocated to the Madhesh Province for the upcoming fiscal year 2023/24 to construct physical infrastructures in the province.

On a different note, the Minister refuted that there were biases in the budget allocation in districts.

He denied that some districts received disproportionately high budgets. “If we look at the total budget of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, there is no such situation of disproportionate allocation of the budget,” he explained.