New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS): Japan will be giving a loan of Rs 3,420 crore to India to assist in constructing the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road and for joint efforts towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"The loan agreements were signed here today (Friday) between the Government of India and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), New Delhi under Japanese Official Development Assistance Loan Program," the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.

The Japanese ODA loan is for construction of phase one of Chennai Peripheral Ring Road for about Rs 2,470 crore and for Japan-India cooperative actions towards SDGs in India for about Rs 950 crore.

The agreements were signed by Finance Ministry Additional Secretary C.S. Mohapatra and JICA New Delhi Chief Representative Katsuo Matsumoto, the Ministry said.

The project for the construction of Chennai road aims to meet increasing traffic demands in the metropolitan area and installing Intelligent Transport Systems, thereby contributing to mitigation of traffic congestion and promoting Regional Economic Development.

The other program aims to promote SDGs in India, mainly in social development, by supporting the efforts by the Indian government to strengthen the policy framework and implementation mechanism, thereby supporting India in achieving SDGs by 2030, it added.