Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal hailed the Union Railways Budget as a balanced, pro-people and visionary budget aimed at putting the Indian Railways on the ‘right track’.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said that the decision of the Railways Ministry to include holy cities of Amritsar and Nanded for project aimed at beautification of stations in pilgrimage centres besides taking up on priority the provision of passenger amenities, was a supreme gift to the people of Punjab especially the Sikhs adding that this would give a big boost to tourism in the State.
Thanking the Union Railways Minister, he said that this project was a humble gift of the NDA Government to the residents of ‘Guru Ki Nagari’ as this project would give further fillip to the development of the holy city besides showcasing it on an international level for its centuries’ old, rich and glorious cultural heritage.
Welcoming the decision to introduce Aastha circuit train to connect important pilgrimage in the country, the Chief Minister said that this was a unique endeavour of the NDA Government which would help in the cementing the bond of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood in the country.
He said that for the first time in the history of the country the Union Government has initiated a scheme that would enable the people to visit the holy places in a hassle free manner. Congratulating Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu for this scheme, Badal hoped that journey of all the five takhts of Sikhs would be a part of this circuit.
likewise, Badal said that the continuance of Kisan Yatra, a special travel scheme to help farmers to learn about new farming and marketing techniques, would also go a long way in bailing out the farmers from current agrarian crisis. “This budget is an initiative towards strengthening the national transport system of the country which reflects the commitment of NDA to emerge the Railways as the backbone of national connectivity” he added.
Kairon lauds gift for Punjab in Rail Budget
Chandigarh: Punjab Food Minister Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon, who represents Patti Assembly constituency of district Tarantarn, on Thursday expressed his gratitude to Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu for sanctioning more than Rs45 crores for Tarantarn and Ferozepur districts. Welcoming the announcements of the Railways Minister in the Rail Budget, Kairon said that he was grateful to the Suresh Prabhu for allowing the construction of direct Railway line between Patti and Ferozepur in wake of intense activity on the border area.
Kairon had also separately taken up this issue with the Union Defence Minister so that the Defence forces could be able to more effectively secure the Khemkaran Sector with the faster deployment of armed through this link.
An outlay of Rs25 crore has also been sanctioned and got registered in the pink book also. He said that in his written communiqué to the Union Railways Minister he had urged that Punjab was known as a food bowl of the country and also for the development of agro based industries, a strong and improvised railway network was the need of an hour especially in this area of the state. The Punjab minister also said that it was a matter of Pride for Punjabis in general and people of his constituency in particular that an amount of Rs21.76 crore more has been sanctioned by the union government for the shifting of the loading capacity from Patti Railway Station to Patti grain market because of too much of congestion on this particular route. This was announced to ease out the congestion on this route.
Himachal's rail outlay increased to Rs310 crore: Nadda
New Delhi: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda on Thursday thanked Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for increasing the outlay for rail projects in Himachal Pradesh by more than 51 percent over the last year. He said the state's allocation had been increased from Rs255 crore in 2015-16 to Rs310 crore in 2016-17.
"It will give a big boost to the rail network in the interiors of the hill state and will benefit not only the common man but also give a big push to the tourism industry by providing greater connectivity," Nadda said in a statement here. Two new projects — gauge conversion of Pathankot-Joginder Nagar line and a new line from Joginder Nagar to Mandi — have been approved, said Nadda, who belongs to the hill state.
Haryana ignored in listless rail budget: Kiran Choudhry
Chandigarh: Kiran Choudhry, leader of the Haryana Congress legislature Party (ClP), has termed the second Railway Budget presented by the Union Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu, as visionless, listless and lackluster, and flayed him for totally ignoring the demands of Haryana. In a statement issued here, the former Excise and Taxation Minister said Haryana and the neighboring states had been totally ignored in the Rail Budget. Neither any new train has been introduced in Haryana nor any new project has been sanctioned, she remarked.
“The long-pending demands of the people of Haryana for setting up a rail coach factory, rail over-bridges, rail under-bridges and bottling plant in the state have not been met. Though an MP from Haryana, Railway Minister has completely let down the people of Haryana. It was only during the regime of late Ch Bansi lal that Haryana had figured prominently on the rail map of the country,” Choudhry said.