The World Bank has agreed to provide a $100m (Rs7.45bn) grant to Nepal to black-top the roads connecting the remote districts of the far western and mid-western regions in the country.

The project includes black-topping a 105km stretch of the Karnali Highway as well as the road linking the lower section of the Dungeshwor-Siyakot-Dailekh road, located below the Surkhet-Jumla road.

Work on the Karnali Highway sections will cost Rs1bn and the remainder of the grant will finance the blacktopping of the roads joining Jajarkot, Darchula, Bajhang, Myagdi and Jomsom.

The Nepal government had asked for $175m assistance from the bank.