ADB approves $295 mn loan for road development in Bihar

27 Jun 2023 CW Team

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $295 million loan to widen and upgrade around 265 km of state highways, improving transport connectivity and safety in the state of Bihar in India. The highways will be upgraded with climate- and disaster-resilient design, road safety elements, and other features that will respond to the needs of the elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities.

“Improved connectivity and road safety is critical to areas that rely heavily on agriculture such as Bihar. Better infrastructure allows farmers to connect to markets and improve their incomes. These also promote employment outside farms and access to quality health and education facilities,” said ADB Senior Transport Specialist for South Asia Kai Wei Yeo. “The project will help uplift the lives of the people in Bihar, especially in project areas that are considered to be among the poorest in the country.” The project will also encourage women’s participation by providing employment to female workers in construction works. Trainings in livelihood as well as awareness on road safety, health and hygiene, and abuse and harassment will be offered to women from communities in the project areas.

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

Coal Ministry Achieves Milestones under Special Campaign 5.0

The Ministry of Coal and its Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have achieved notable milestones under the Special Campaign 5.0, focusing on cleanliness, operational efficiency, and sustainability across the coal sector. During the implementation phase from 2–31 October 2025, over 1,205 sites were cleaned, covering 68,04,087 sq ft, nearing the target of 82,51,511 sq ft. Scrap disposal of 5,813 MT against a target of 8,678 MT generated Rs 228.7 million in revenue. In addition, 1,11,248 physical and 30,331 electronic files were reviewed, with 74,123 weeded out or closed. Key initiatives showc..

Vesting Orders Issued for Three Coal Blocks under Commercial Auctions

The Ministry of Coal’s Nominated Authority has issued vesting orders for three coal blocks under commercial coal block auctions on 23 October 2025. The Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) for these mines were earlier signed on 21 August 2025. The three blocks include Rajgamar Dipside (Deavnara), Tangardihi North, and Mahuagarhi. Of these, two are partially explored while one is fully explored, with a combined peak rated capacity of around 1 MTPA and geological reserves of approximately 1,484.41 million tonnes. These mines are expected to generate annual revenue of abou..

TEC, IIT-Hyderabad Partner to Boost 6G and Telecom Standards

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) for joint research and technical collaboration in advanced telecom technologies and standardisation. The partnership focuses on developing India-specific standards and test frameworks for next-generation networks, including 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). It also aims to enhance India’s participation in international standardisation f..