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Odisha’s demand for higher allocation to develop the rail infrastructure in the state has once again been side-lined in the vote on account presented by Railways minister, Mallikarjun Kharge in the parliament today.
Apart from proposal to run three new trains, there was nothing to cheer for the state in the interim budget vis-a-vis its demand for more number of new trains, new lines, doubling of track and higher allocation of funds for ongoing projects.
Flaying the vote on account of the Railways ministry for the first four months of the next fiscal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik termed it as ‘a big disappointment’.
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“We had requested the Railways ministry to allocate Rs 4000 crore for various projects in the state, but there is no specific provisions about any projects in Odisha. Against our demand for 31 new trains, only three trains-two passenger trains and one Express train have been sanctioned to the state”, he said.
In view of the funds crunch of the Railways, the Odisha government had come forward to finance 50 per cent of the project cost and provide land free of cost for balance work of inordinately delayed Khurda-Bolangir railway line. Similarly the state government has also committed to provide 26 per cent of share capital of two other SPV (special purpose vehicle) projects- Haridaspur-Paradip and Angul-Sukinda line.
“But in the current vote on account nothing has been specified on these projects”, Patnaik said, adding that the same goes for the construction of a modern station at Bhubaneswar.
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“There is no mention about the wagon factory in the Ganjam district announced three years back in the budget”, the Chief Minister pointed out.
Stating that the state is generating more than Rs 14,000 crore revenue for the Railways per annum, Patnaik said, “The Central government has once given step motherly treatment to the state.”
“People will remember the continuous neglect of the Railways and I am sure that they (people) will give a befitting reply at the earliest opportunity”, he remarked.
The three trains allocated to the state include Sambalpur–Bhawanipatna passenger(daily) and Gunupur-Visakhapatnam passenger (daily) and Gandhidham–Puri Express train that will ply weekly.Besides,Howrah–Yeswantpur AC weekly Express will run via Bhubaneswar, Gudur and Katpadi.
