Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the Railway Budget is a sign that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started the process of re-building the nation. The approach for development adopted in the Budget definitely assures about the future.
Chouhan said that the UPA Government had derailed the railway system. The BJP-led NDA Government has sought to rectify the basic pillar of the rail system. He termed the budget as the budget of a statesman and not a politician. The Chief Minister said that a selective policy has also been adopted regarding FDI.
It has not been followed blindly. FDI is being invited in infrastructure and not operations. This is a balanced policy. According to Chouhan, this underlines the credibility of the railways vis-à-vis increase in passenger facilities and dilapidated trains' modernisation. He termed the 40 per cent increase in the budget for sanitation as specially praiseworthy.
Describing the proposal for rail internship for students as very attractive, the Chief Minister said that this will increase youths' employability.
The Chief Minister also welcomed the proposal of special train circuit for centres of pilgrimage. A religion-dominant country like India has immense potential of religious tourism. He described that circuit of journey through India of Vivekananda in his 150th birth anniversary year is pragmatic thinking.
Chouhan said that the Rail Budget focuses on infusing a new life in crumbling and dilapidated trains instead of starting new ones.
Madhya Pradesh has got new trains between Indore and Jammu Tawi, Rajkot and Rewa and Bandra-Nagda. Survey of Ujjain-Jhalawad-Agar-Susner-Soyat rail line and extension of Shatabdi upto Habibganj are also welcome steps, which will benefit the people of Madhya Pradesh.