The Maharashtra cabinet has approved a significant ₹6,429-crore project aimed at constructing and upgrading approximately 3,500 km of rural roads and bridges under Phase III of the Chief Minister Gram Sadak Yojana. This initiative will be financed by a $500 million loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with the Maharashtra government contributing $215 million, representing 30% of the total project cost. The project is designed to enhance rural connectivity, facilitating better transportation of agricultural products and improving access to education and healthcare. Additionally, the cabinet sanctioned the Maharashtra Road Improvement Project, which will seek $1 billion from AIIB and the New Development Bank to modernize road infrastructure. This project will focus on upgrading roads in high-traffic corridors, with plans to improve 750 km of roads in each funding phase. Furthermore, the cabinet approved the inclusion of five colleges in Mumbai into the Hyderabad National Collegiate University, aiming to strengthen the academic framework and expand higher education opportunities.