New Delhi The government on Thursday approved nine road projects of 1,226 km and worth R11,597 crore from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, as part of its effort to give an impetus to investments and accelerate economic growth.

A finance ministry statement said on Thursday that the relevant Empowered Committee cleared these road projects. The Viability Gap Funding (VGF) involved is R2,295 crore, it said. These projects are at an advanced stage of bidding/construction and are expected to result in disbursal of R500.00 crore from the Centre during 2012-13, it added.