Imphal, Apr 10 (IANS): The central government has sanctioned Rs 400 crore for the improvement of National Highway 37 connecting the Manipur capital to Silchar in Assam via Jiribam district, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Thongam Bishwajit said on Sunday.

"It has been the policy of the central government to assign construction and maintenance works of the highways to the Border Roads Task Force. However, the state government itself plans to handle the improvement works in view of the numerous complaints of sub-standard construction due mainly to the lack of supervision by the previous Congress government," Bishwajit said.

"The matter is pending now in the central government and a decision will be announced by April 20," he added.

Bishwajit said the highway would be made motorable by the first week of May, if the Manipur government is allowed to undertake the repair works.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had included the improvement of NH 37 in his "must do" list within the first 100 days. However, for unexplained reasons nothing was done in this regard.

It is one of the two national highways which are the lifeline of land-locked Manipur. Manipur does not have rail lines to transport essential commodities.