Blink News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The Narendra Modi government at the Centre in latest 2020-21 Union Budget has allocated lesser funds to Odisha in the railway sector if the figures of last year is compared. According to data, the state received Rs 220 crore lesser from the Centre from the budget compared to its allocation in 2019-20.
However, the Union government has fueled more funds to rail line projects including the new rail line project from Gopalpur and Sambalpur via Phulbani. The Union government earlier for 2019-20 had allocated Rs 4373 crores for Odisha which has been reduced to Rs 4373 crore in this budget.
Here are the highlights of Rail Budget 2020 for Odisha.
- Khurda Road-Balangir line has got lot of emphasis after intervention of Prime Minister. This project has got 520 crores, this year. Last year this project got 350 crores.
- Similarly, Angul-Sukinda project, also monitored by Centre, has got 400 crores. Last year this project got 250 crores.
- Haridaspur-Paradeep line will be commissioned before March end, this year. It has got only 100 crores to settle final bills. No further funds are required for this project.
- New announcement this year is New line between Gopalpur and Sambalpur via Phulbani. This line has been sanctioned in principle but will await final approval of Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs and NITI Ayog.
- Naupada-Gunupur line has been sanctioned and extended up to Theruvali in principle but will await final approval of Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs and Niti Ayog.
- Maneswar near Sambalpur has a new Wagon Repair maintenance facility coming up. A substantial amount of Rupees 20 Crores has been allotted.
- Electrification of entire East Coast Railway is being taken up. A sum of Rupees 180 crores has been allotted for various projects.
- Doubling projects don’t require land acquisition and are progressing well. These projects have got very good allotments compared to last year.
Reacting to the budgetary allocation, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) in a statement said, “With never having happened in the past developments and technological advancement of railway like this, we see 2020 as a turning point for the Indian Railways,”
