Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: Orissa is a priority state for the Centre, said visiting Union minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha here Sunday.
“Indian Railways is trying its best to further broaden the railway network in Orissa to make it one of the finest in the country,” Sinha said here after reviewing progress in the East Coast Railways zone here.
“In the last two Railway Budgets, the state got more allocations. They were more than the state government’s expectations,” Sinha said in reply to a question on alleged negligence towards the state by the Railways. “It is our priority and the special interest of the Prime Minister to invest more in states such as Orissa,” he said.
“I had a detailed discussion on the project works completed last year, the ongoing project works to be completed this year and the future action plan for infrastructure development to provide better railway service in Orissa in the coming days,” Sinha said. Unconnected areas of the state would be given priority in linking and “all new projects will be expedited with early tendering”, he said.
Sinha directed ECoR officials to stress on passenger amenities. “The minister suggested that ECoR prepare a roadmap for the industrial progress of Orissa in the next 25 years,” said an official.
Sinha also stressed on expediting work on the Talcher-Bimalagarh new line.
“There will be sufficient allocation of funds,” he said at the review meeting.
The state’s demand of new trains will be “examined positively” he said.
There was a detailed discussion at the review meeting on the expenditure performance of the last two Railway Budgets and the expenditure for the ensuing Budget, according to petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was present at the meeting.
