Orissa neglected in Rly Budget,say BJD, BJP MPs

Bhubaneswar (visakeo): While the BJP Yuva Morcha vehemently opposed the Railway Budget by organising rail-roko throughout the State for more than eight hours on Wednesday, BJD-BJP MPs staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the premises of Parliament.
The MPs alleged that while the Railways earned huge revenue from the State, it could not even spend one fourth of it for the growth of Railways in the State. The State contributes nearly Rs 6,000 crore to the Railways as revenue per annum. The Railway Authority earned the revenue mostly from transportation of coals and minerals.
In the Budget, the Railways even neglected the cause of the industrialisation process of Orissa. Most of the industrialised places have not come under the network. The most important rail connectivity from Kirtania to Dhamra has not been taken up. All the ongoing projects have only received a meagre amount for their completion.
During the agitation, the MPs raised slogans against the UPA Government and Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in particular, for their stepmotherly attitude towards the cause of Orissa.
"We will continue to oppose the Railway Budget," said BJD MP Braja Kishore Tripathy, adding that the agitation against the UPA Government would be further intensified. While the State Government had demanded Rs 1,330 crore, only Rs 972 crore was earmarked for the development of rail network in the State.
BJD MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra said Orissa had been neglected by the UPA Government. "While the State requires fund for the growth of rail network in the State, it has only received half of it," Mohapatra said.
BJP MP Rudra Naryan Pani said while other States receive nearly Rs 1,900 crore, Orissa has not even got half of it. Among others who were present during the agitation included Arjun Sethi, Brahmananda Panda, Prasanna Acharya, Kharabela Swain, Sangita Singh Deo, Dharmendra Pradhan, Pramila Bohidar, Bhartuhari Mahatab and Prasanna Patsani