The government has spent a total sum of Rs. 82,694 million for development and maintenance of roads during the last year, Highways Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva told parliament yesterday.

He said that the government had allocated a sum of Rs. 90,817 million for the same purposes.

He said that for the task of road development a sum of Rs. 79,645 million had been spent while for the task of maintenance of roads a sum of Rs. 3,049 million had been spent.

Answering a question raised by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake Deputy Minister Silva said that a total sum of Rs. 261,410 million had been allocated for the development and maintenance of roads since the year 2005.

During the same period of five years the government had spent a total sum of Rs. 223,020 million for the aforesaid task.