BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has allotted Rs 6995.5 crore for the event of the rail sector in Odisha, up from Rs 4,373 crore final 12 months. The state had requested for round Rs 7,200 crore.
Nonetheless, there was some confusion in regards to the funds sanctioned for Odisha within the Union funds for Railways with the state authorities figures being completely different from the one shared by the ECoR.
State commerce and transport minister Padmanabh Behere on Thursday stated he has official info that Odisha has obtained Rs 4,500 crore. However it was far decrease than the Rs 6995.58 crore determine shared by the ECoR.
“Now we have official info that Odisha has obtained Rs 4,500 crore within the Union funds for the event of the railway sector within the state. It’s disappointing as we had demanded Rs 7,200 crore this 12 months,” stated Behera. He added that Railway minister Piyush Goyal has tweeted that the allocation for Odisha is Rs 5,528 crore for 2021-22, whereas the ECoR right here on Thursday clarified that the funding for Odisha in 2021-22 below all plan heads mixed is Rs 6995.58 crore. “Anyone can discover this mismatch of knowledge. I have no idea how the ECoR got here up with a unique determine altogether,” he added.
The ECoR has clarified that the funds outlay of Rs 5,528 crore was for the event of infrastructure and safety-related works for Odisha, which don’t embrace many different tasks and estimates as they don’t seem to be important sufficient for point out on the ministry-level. However for ECoR and Odisha, these are essential improvement works. That’s why the funding for Odisha in 2021-22 below all plan heads mixed is Rs 6995.58 crore, stated the ECoR assertion.
Congress state president Niranjan Patnaik stated Odisha has been uncared for within the rail funds this time as effectively. “The Centre has allotted hefty funds for poll-bound states like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The state can also be not elevating its voice as a result of it has a secret understanding with the Centre,” he added.
Nonetheless, Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailed the allocation as historic.
The Centre has earmarked Rs 1,000.5 crore for one of many oldest and most essential tasks of the state — the 289km Khurda Highway-Balangir new line. The determine is far increased than Rs 520 crore earmarked final 12 months and Rs 350 crore in 2019. This was shared by the East Coast Railway (ECoR) right here on Thursday.
One other new rail line challenge — the Angul-Sukinda Highway (98.7km) sanctioned in 1997-98 — has obtained a funds grant of Rs 400 crore in opposition to final 12 months’s Rs 450 crore. Round 65% of the challenge has been accomplished and the remaining can be prepared by the tip of this 12 months. It is a crucial line for the economic belt.
One other outdated challenge — the Haridaspur-Paradip (82km) new line — has obtained Rs 100 crore this 12 months. The ECoR sources stated the brand new line challenge has been accomplished, however the allocation will assist in finishing some station and its associated works. It had obtained Rs 100 crore final 12 months too.
