Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today hailed railway budget 2013-14 calling it "balanced", but his deputy Ajit Pawar said injustice has been done to the state and its capital.
"I welcome the rail budget which gives momentum to the development of railways," Chavan said.
"The rail budget lays emphasis on security of commuters and providing facilities, it does not put additional burden of fares on the commoners and by looking at the current scenario, it is a balanced budget," he was quoted as saying in a press release.
By making provisions in the budget to start a bottling plant and skill development centre and training centre in Nagpur, justice has been done to Vidharbha region, he added.
However, deputy chief minister of the state Ajit Pawar expressed disappointment over the budget. "It seems injustice has been done to the people of Maharashtra and Mumbai," he said here.
"Even though an elevated railway line has been announced for Mumbai and air-conditioned coaches in select local trains, a lot many expectations of the people have been left unfulfilled yet again," he said.
MPs cutting across party lines should come together to form a pressure group, Pawar said, adding, NCP chief and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar would take a decision in this regard.
"Even MPs from Maharashtra have expressed disappointment over the budget and therefore by re-thinking on the proposals, justice should be given to the people of the state," Ajit Pawar said.
Former railway minister and senior BJP leader Ram Naik described the budget as "totally disappointing".
"Railway minister P K Bansal has presented a totally disappointing railway budget. Like his predecessors, he has given step-motherly treatment to Mumbai suburban commuters," Naik said.
"Bansal has reversed the nation's progress by transferring the responsibility of projects like the foot over-bridges (FoBs) to the state government," he added.
