Orissa to demand Rs 1,000 cr allocation in rail budget

BHUBANESWAR: In the backdrop of rapid industrialisation, particulraly in steel sector, the house committee of the Orissa Legislative Assembly on Monday decided to demand allocation of at least Rs 1,000 crore in the next railway budget.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Speaker Maheswar Mohanty. ''We will submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad demanding more allocation for Orissa,'' Mohanty said.

Expressing concern over the dismal growth of Railway in the state, the commitee pointed out that only three broad gauge rail lines namely, Talcher-Sambalpur (174 km), Koraput-Rayagada (164 km), Daitari-Bansapani line had been commissioned since Independence.

The projects like Lanjigarh road-Junagarh sanctioned in the year 1993-94 had not been commissioned due to inadequate allotment of funds, Mohanty pointed out adding that lack of rail infrastructure had been one of the main reasons for impeded soci-economic growth in Orissa.

The commitee, in its draft memorandum mentioned that the next five years were critical for the state as most of the planning for industrial growth would fruitfy. Therefore, the rail network must be adequate to meet the challenges ahead.

It pointed out that the state was in the step of adding in excess of 70 million tons per annum capacity in steel making, 4 mtpa if alumina refining, 15 mmtpa capacity in petrochemical refining, 13000 mwt in power generation and 7 mtpa in cement manufacture with direct employment forecast of 1,60,000 manpower, it said.