Himachal Pradesh has high hopes from Union Rail Budget 2015: Virbhadra Singh

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today expressed hope that the railway budget would not only meet the aspirations of the state but also of other hilly areas which he claimed have not got their due in expansion of rail network in the past.

"I hope Himachal will find mention in the Union Rail Budget 2015 and not only Himachal, but the other hilly and backward states will get adequate financial allocation," the Chief Minister said here today.

He said that the matter regarding extension Bilaspur- Bhanupalli-Beri to Leh was taken up with the Union government and the state government was contemplating to take up the issue of further extension of the rail link from Pathankot to Mandi and conversion of meter gauge to broad gauge.

Singh also hoped that the Union government would be liberal in allocation of funds to Himachal and the present pattern of funding the special category states in the ratio of 90:10 between the centre and the state would continue.