New Delhi, April 24: The Indian government has signed a $210 million loan agreement with the World Bank to improve the rural roads in Madhya Pradesh, an official statement said on Tuesday.
"The project (Madhya Pradesh Rural Connectivity Project) will cover 10,510 km stretch of rural roads in Madhya Pradesh that fall under the Chief Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana (CMGSY) program," said the Finance Ministry in a statement.
The deal, signed between the Central government, Madhya Pradesh government and the World Bank, will improve the durability, resilience and safety of the gravel surfaced rural roads and enhance the capacity of the state to manage its rural roads network, it said.
Of the total roads, 10,000 km will be upgraded from existing gravel to bituminous surface roads, while 510 km of new roads will be built to the same bituminous surface standard, it added.
"Government of India is making all efforts to ensure that communities in the most remote areas across the country are connected through a road network. All weather road connectivity is crucial for economic growth, especially in the rural areas," said Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
Gravel surfaced roads are more prone to washouts than paved roads during flood seasons. This project will undertake resilience measures such as surface sealing of roads, embankment pitching, and balancing culverts to prevent damages caused by extreme flood events.
World Bank India Acting Country Director Hisham Abdo said: "This project will leverage resources to support innovations in road construction, improve road safety, and reduce carbon footprint in the transport sector by mainstreaming climate resilient technology in road design and construction."
Recognizing that road safety is a critical issue, the project will also strengthen road safety management systems with the objective of reducing fatalities and serious injuries from road accidents, the statement said.
"The project will focus on improving road accident data collection and analysis at central and state levels through implementation of the Road Accident Database Management System (RADMS)," it said.
Further, the state will pilot a comprehensive Road Safety Programme in districts with most fatal and serious injuries recorded in the recent past, it added.
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Lenskart apologises after online backlash, releases new style guide welcoming religious symbols
New Delhi (PTI): Following massive online backlash over a purported internal grooming document, eyewear retailer Lenskart has issued a public apology and released a standardised 'In-Store Style Guide' that allows employees to wear religious and cultural symbols at work.
In a statement on X, the company said it is making its guidelines public and transparent to address the concerns of its customers and community.
The new policy "explicitly and unambiguously" welcomes all symbols of faith carried by team members, including the bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab, and turban.
"If any version of our workplace communication caused hurt or made any of our team members feel that their faith was unwelcome here, we are deeply sorry. That is not who Lenskart is, and it is not who we will ever be," the company said.
This comes following a controversy that erupted earlier this week when a document, alleged to be Lenskart's employee grooming policy, went viral on social media. Netizens pointed out that the policy restricted employees from wearing certain religious markers, particularly the bindi and tilak, sparking outrage and calls for a boycott.
Addressing the uproar a few days ago, Lenskart founder Peyush Bansal had stepped in to clarify that the viral document was an "outdated version" and did not reflect the company's current stance.
"I want to speak directly that this document does not reflect our present guidelines. Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak," Bansal had stated, apologising for the confusion and concern the situation had caused.
Building on Bansal's earlier clarification, Lenskart's latest statement emphasised the company's homegrown roots, noting that its 2,400-plus stores are run by people who bring their beliefs and traditions to work every day.
"Lenskart was built in Bharat, by Indians, for Indians... That is not something we will ever ask anyone to leave at the door," the statement read.
The retailer has now committed to ensuring that every future policy, training material, and communication carrying the Lenskart name will reflect inclusive values.
"We will do better. And we will keep earning your trust," the company said.
