The state's north Bengal development department will spend around Rs 510 crore in the current fiscal on various infrastructural works across the region.

Udayan Guha, the north Bengal development minister, said on Saturday that work ranging from upgrade of roads, sewerage and marketplaces to installation of solar lights would be taken up in all eight districts of north Bengal.

“We will spend between Rs 7 crore and Rs 12 crore in each Assembly segment of north Bengal. The projects to be taken up have been listed. Our aim is to finish all these jobs within the current financial year,” said Guha.

In north Bengal, there are 54 Assembly seats.

On Saturday, Guha laid the foundation stones of a series of such projects for Cooch Behar, his home district.

“In Cooch Behar, around Rs 90 crore would be spent. It includes repairing and renovation of roads and drainage systems in all 20 wards of Cooch Behar town,” he said.

According to him, while Rs 450 crore would be spent on infrastructure, another Rs 60 crore would be spent on solar lights.

“We will install solar lights on the Torsha river bridge and on the approach roads that connect Harinchawra on one side and Dinhata and Mathabhanga on the other side,” Guha said.

He said that till recently any work taken up by his department of over Rs 30 lakh needed approval from the state finance department, but the chief minister hiked the cap to Rs 3 crore to expedite infrastructure development in this part of the state.