Bhubaneswar: Hours after the the East Coast Railway (EcoR) issued a press statement citing that Odisha has been allocated a sum of Rs 4,373 crore for various rail projects in the State for 2020-21 financial year, the ruling BJD termed the allocation as less than expected while the State's main Opposition BJP hailed the allotment.
Responding to media queries, BJD MP Prasanna Acharya said "Most of the times, the funds allocated for Odisha are not being properly utilised by the Centre or the Railways due to which the State is not able to get any benefits. As far as land acquisition is concerned, the Odisha government is taking all steps to ensure that it is completed as soon as possible but even after handing over the land, such railway projects are running behind schedule."
The parliamentarian noted that Odisha government was expecting more allocation, at least above Rs 6000 crore in this year's railway budget. CM Naveen Patnaik had proposed the Union Government for several railway projects in the State much before the announcement of the budget, so we hope that the Centre expedites the pending railway projects and also looks into other new required ones.
On the other hand, the State unit of BJP has welcomed the railway budgetary allocation to Odisha saying that it is a clear indication of PM Modi's Look East Policy, especially his soft corner for Odisha.
Issuing a press statement, the BJP stated that under Modi government, Odisha has received a total of Rs 29,121 crore of budgetary allocation for development of railways sector so far.
Citing that Odisha had never got railway budget of more than Rs 1000 crore under the Congress government, State BJP president Samir Mohanty said the higher allocation of funds to Odisha under the helm of PM Modi shows his thoughts for development of the State and its people.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan too hailed the budget share for Odisha.
It may be mentioned that the Centre has allocated a total of Rs 5865 crore to East Coast Railway for the current fiscal out of which Rs 4373 crore has been granted to Odisha alone.
Most notable of all the announced railway projects in Odisha this year is the 241 km Sambalpur-Phulbani-Gopalpur new railway line which is likely to cost around Rs 2,957 crore. The new project which has brought the impoverished district of Kandhamal on the rail map of Odisha now awaits final nod from the Niti Aayog.