Rs.60 cr in budget may derail Khurdha Balangir railway project: Last year’s unutilized fund returned to centre
February 26, 2011 at 9:07 am sanjibkarmee 1 comment
Following is from express buzz.com:
BALANGIR: The Union Railway Budget presented by Mamata Banerjee seems tricky as far as the amount allotted for Khurda-Balangir railway project is concerned.
In lieu of the return of last year’s Rs.100 crore, she has sanctioned Rs.60 crore. Last year, Rs.120 crore was allocated out of which, Rs.100 crore was reportedly returned due to non-utilisation.
Balangir district Railway Users’ Association has dubbed it as a tricky budget. The members stated that Mamata has not provided anything for the project this year but has skillfully halved the last year’s return amount and allocated only Rs. 60 crore.
“This is a shame on the people of Orissa as nothing but almost half of the returned amount has been sanctioned”, said president of the association Nilamani Mishra.
He, however, reasoned that last year the amount was returned only because the approval for 36-112 km railway line came in January and the money could not be utilised.
The association had demanded Rs. 400 crore this year for the project.
State Youth Congress president Pradip Majhi said that Rs.60 crore is not a bad allotment. He attributed the return of fund to the neglect of the State Government.
“The project has been given due attention. What is the point of getting huge funds if the State Government would not be able to use it within stipulated time frame,” said Majhi.
Entry filed under: Athmallik, Balangir, Boudh, Infrastructure, Infrastructure, Kalahandi Balangir Koraput (KBK) region, Khurdha-Balangir rail line, Rail connectivity, Region watch, State and Central govt. and KBK, Subarnapur.
Will the Khurda Balangir railway project get any allocation in the Railway Budget? Rail budget 2011-12: Sanctioned amounts for different rail projects for Orissa
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Kosal Discussion and Development Forum 
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Barna Baibhaba Panda | March 17, 2011 at 9:33 am
Who is returning what to whom? The allocating agency and the implementing agency is the same, i.e. Railways. Moreover, Ministry of Railways in a letter dated 15.10.2010 reduced the allocation from Rs120 crore to Rs80 crore. That means before the end of monsoon and beginning of work season, the allocation was reduced by one third. This is the story every year. Original allocation is meant to manage the politicians and media. After all, Orissa’a coalfields and iron ore mines are the bread and butter of Indian Railways.