The Odisha Cabinet on Tuesday approved a ₹22,667 crore package of rural infrastructure projects, including 1,750 new bridges and 26,000 km of roads to strengthen connectivity across villages, remote regions and border areas.The government will construct 1,750 new bridges while completing 1,417 ongoing bridge projects. (iStock | Representative picture)The cabinet approved a major expansion of the Setu Bandhan Yojana (SBY), extending the scheme till 2030-31 and increasing its outlay to ₹11,000 crore.Under the expanded programme, the government will construct 1,750 new bridges while completing 1,417 ongoing bridge projects.Originally launched as the Biju Setu Yojana in 2011-12, the scheme seeks to eliminate missing bridge links on roads under the Rural Development Department and strategically important Panchayat Samiti roads under the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department. The current phase (2021-22 to 2025-26) had already sanctioned 2,403 bridges at an outlay of ₹8,779.22 crore, including 380 ongoing and 2,023 new bridges.Also Read:Odisha cabinet approves 11.25% SEBC quota, hikes SC/ST reservationOfficials said the additional bridges are expected to improve year-round access to healthcare, education, markets and other essential services in rural and remote areas while boosting local economic activity.The MMSY-Connecting Missing Road Links (CMRL) scheme, a five-year programme from 2025-26 to 2029-30 with an outlay of ₹1,917 crore was also approved. The scheme envisages construction of around 3,850 km of roads to bridge critical gaps in the road network, along with completion of ongoing projects and construction of connecting bridges and small cross-drainage works wherever required.The cabinet approved implementation of the Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana (MMSY) with an outlay of ₹4,000 crore over five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31. Under the proposal, the Rural Development Department will construct about 4,607 km of new roads and complete 115 km of ongoing road works.