RailEnquiry

Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) here on Saturday demanded restoration of budgetary allocation made to the State in budget of Union Railway Ministry for the year 2012-13.A 60-member BYJD delegation submitted a memorandum to Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare and drew his attention on Centre’s alleged step-motherly attitude towards the State.“Odisha contributes substantially to the earning of Indian railways to the tune of around Rs. 10,000 crores. However, the budget allocation to the State by Railways is not commensurate with the earning it receives from the State,” said Sanjay Das Burma, BYJD president said.Mr. Das Burma said against a demand of Rs. 2,345 crore for financial year 2012-13, a paltry sum of Rs. 723 crore was allocated for railway sector in the railway budget.“Subsequently, the budget allocation was reduced by Rs. 186 crore in June 2012. Once again the budget was further reduced by Rs. 34 crore in September 2012”President of the youth wing of Biju Janata Dal said the State was passing through a phase when it needed a good cooperation from the Central government.The BYJD also referred to several long-pending railway projects such as Lanjigarh-Junagarh, Khurda-Bolangir-Khurda and Lanjigarh-Junagarh railway lines development.