The World Bank has approved additional financing of 75 million US dollar to scale up Nepal's efforts at improving all weather road access in remote districts of the western region and for periodic maintenance of the national strategic roads network. In a press statement, World Bank Country Director for Nepal Susan Goldmark today said the Road Sector Development Project began in early 2008 with an original grant of 42.6 million dollars. She said the additional financing will help Nepal government extend and complete the upgrading of 405 kilometres roads that will directly benefit 1.4 million more people from all weather roads. The project will connect the district headquarters of Darchula, Bajhang, Kalikot, Jumla Jajarkot and Rukum to country's strategic road network. These roads are in addition to the 297 kilometres being upgraded in the ongoing phase of the project. According to the World Bank, the project will also support the periodic maintenance of 2,100 kilometres of blacktop strategic roads, selected on the basis of the Nepal government's maintenance priorities and its annual road condition surveys. Nepal has the second lowest road network density in South Asia and only about 40 percent of the population has access to paved roads within 20 minutes walking distance. The western districts of Nepal are among the most deprived in terms of income and food security.