July 15, 2014
Trinamool MPs Dinesh Trivedi and Suvendu Adhikari oppose the Railway Budget in Lok Sabha
Trinamool Congress on Monday launched averbal protest in Lok Sabha against the deprivation of Bengal in Railway Budget.During a debate on Rail Budget 2014, Trinamool MPs Mr Suvendu Adhkari and MrDinesh Trivedi protested against the Rail Budget with facts and figures.
In the Lok Sabha, Trinamool MP Mr SuvenduAdhikari said that the 2014 Rail Budget was aimless, visionless, baseless andanti-people. He pointed out that several metro projects for Kolkata – the MetroExtension Project from Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector V, BBD Bag to Joka,Noapara to Barasat, New Garia to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose InternationalAirport – were declared in 2009-10 and sanctioned by the Railway Board and thePlanning Commission. The cost of the projects was Rs 11,257 crore. Thebudgetary allocation in 2014-15 has been only Rs 538 crore whereas the balancerequired to complete the work is Rs 10,719 crore.
He also pointed out that thewagon industry in Haldia, which was announced in 2011-12 needed Rs 36.36 crorewhere as the allotment in Budget has been only Rs 24.80 crore and it stillneeds Rs 11.56 crore. He gave many other such examples where the State has beencompletely ignored in cases of most of the ongoing projects. He pointed outthat the Central Government is trying to destroy all the thirty four projectsin the State.
Suvendu Adhikari also said that West Bengaldoes not need any projects as alms. The Railway Ministry should concentrate oncomplete the ongoing projects within the stipulated time, he said. He added thatwhen the party Chairperson Ms Mamata Banerjee was the Union Rail Minister shemade it sure that the common people are not burdened. She had started the Izzattickets for the backward classes.
Former Railway Minister and Trinamool MP MrDinesh Trivedi in his speech said that the idea of Bullet trains were a part ofVision 2020 document made by former Railway Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee. Healso urged the Rail Minister to share the revenue model of the PPP projectsthat are to be undertaken. Mr Trivedi strongly protested the introduction ofFDI in Indian Railways. He argued that the budgetary allocation of Govt ofIndia should be increased. He cited the example of China and Japan where majorshare of the expenses of Railways came from the Government. He added that Railwaysshould be run as a medium of social welfare rather than thinking aboutcommercial viability.
Click here to read the transcript of their speeches.
Click here to watch the videos of their speeches.
