No special package for Odisha in railway budget: Naveen

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Feb 26: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said that no such special package has been given in the railway budget for the inaccessible and backward districts in Odisha with zero railway network.Reacting to the railway budget, Patnaik said he was also disappointed at the token allocation of rupees one thousand only made for the proposed railway wagon factory at Sutalapalli.He, however, said that due allocations have been made for the ongoing major projects like Khurda-Bolangir, where State Government has committed to provide land free of cost and bear 50% of the project cost.Some of the traditionally neglected railway sections like Sambalpur Titilagarh, Sambalpur Talcher have been given due weightage, he added.“Further, when there is a package for North East and Kashmir regions, no such special package has been for our inaccessible and backward districts with zero railway network despite our commitment to provide land free of cost alongwith 50% of project cost,” the Chief Minister observed.Meanwhile, the railway authorities said that an allocation of Rs.2548.22 crore has been made for Odisha in the railway budget against the State Government’s demand of Rs.3,200 crore.While a total of Rs.2,249.42 was allocated for the ongoing projects, a sum of Rs.298.18 was allocated for new projects.PROJECTS IN ODISHANAME OF PROJECT BUDGET ALLOTED (in crores)1 ANGUL-SUKINDA New line, 98.7 KMs 75.002 Daitari-Bansapani New Line, 185 KMs 12.003 Haridaspur-Paradeep New Line, 82 KMs 36.84 Khurda Road-Bolangir, 289 KMs 195.005 Lanjigarh-Junagarh, 7.506 Talcher-Bimalagarh 280.007 Jharsuguda-Rengali Doubling 31.008 Sambalpur-Rengali Doubling 2.609 Khurda Road-Barang 3rd line 32.0010 Cuttack-Barang 4.0011 Sambalpur-Talcher Doubling 97.0012 Delang-Puri Doubling 100.0013 Sambalpur-Titilagarh Doubling 470.0014 Raipur-Titilagarh 241.5215 Bansapani-Jakhapura 513.0016 Brundamal-Jharsugura Fly Over connection for joining down line 11.0017 Barang-Rajathagarh Doubling 16.0018 Bhadrak-Nirgundih 3rd Line 125.00NEW WORKS1 Vizianagaram-Samalpur 58.312 Jharapada-Budhapank 3rd & 4th line 45.733 Budhapank-Salegaon 3rd & 4th Line 34.304 Bhadrak-Vizianagaram 3rd line 120.055 Koraput-Singapur Road 37.506 Khurda-Vizianagaram Bye Pass 2.29