Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and two Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan today hailed the allocations made for the state even as the opposition Congress termed it as "disappointing."
As Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu allocated Rs 4,682 crore for railway projects in Odisha, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said he was delighted over the Rail Budget, 2016-17.
"It is a historic Rail Budget for Odisha. No central government in Independent India had made such a big allocation," Oram said.
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Prabhu for an allocation, which would help in developing railway infrastructure in the state.
He said Odisha would be benefited from the Centre's Develop East mission.
Odisha Congress Committee (OPC) president Prasad Harichandan, however, said "The Railway Budget is disappointing. There is no provision of new trains and new projects for the state."
CPI state secretary Dibakar Nayak dubbed the Rail Budget as "anti-people" and "partisan."
Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had thanked Prabhu for accepting most of the state's demands and allocating 30 per cent more for the state than the previous Rail Budget.
