West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday criticised the central government for the interim railway budget, saying the announcements made would become a huge burden for the new government that would come to power in a few months.
"In his speech, the railway minister mentions introduction of railway budget for 2014-15. It is totally misleading and a gimmick to make false promises by an outgoing government in a vote-on-account budget where the purpose is only to seek permission of parliament for incurring expenditure during the coming four months.
"It is against Constitutional norms and absolutely unethical," Banerjee said on a social networking site.
She also expressed astonishment at the announcement of 72 new trains by the union government, "which has miserably failed to deliver on its promises".
"At a time when the centre has stopped giving funds for even 100 days' work, fresh announcements, introductions and commitments are being made which will become a huge burden on the new government which will take charge in a few months' time.
"Who will implement these? Is it not a ploy to deceive the people for the interests of a single political party," questioned Banerjee.
Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress general secretary and former railway minister Mukul Roy described the budget as a "sham", saying the outgoing government "has no right to place a budget for the railways or to frame policies."
