Bhubaneswar: In the Railway Budget for 2021-22, the Central Government has allocated Rs 5528 crore for railway projects in Odisha.
The Government of Odisha had demanded Rs 7,200 crore from the Centre to expedite the railways projects.
In the previous financial year Odisha was allocated Rs 4,373 crore.
In a move to revive the Indian Railways, one of India’s vital sectors, that faced massive financial losses amid the coronavirus pandemic Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs. 1 lakh 7 thousand crores for capital expenditure of the Railways with big focus on the ‘green railways’ project and railway safety fund. Sitharaman also allocated Rs 63,000 crore for the Chennai Metro and Rs 25,000 crore for West Bengal projects.
In a big boost to rail development in the northeast region, the Union budget has allocated Rs 6,913 crore for projects covering over 2,000 km in the region.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh has been allocated the highest amount of Rs 12,696 crore for ongoing projects which include 83 new lines, gauge conversion, and doubling projects, which will be completed at a cost of Rs 96,697 core and covering a distance of 7,143 km.
In the northeast states, ongoing projects include 19 new lines and doubling projects, covering 2,008 km.
The highest allocation among the states after Uttar Pradesh is for Madhya Pradesh (Rs 7,700 crore) followed by Maharashtra (Rs 7,107 crore).
States like Andhra Pradesh have got Rs 5,812 crore, Chhattisgarh Rs 3,650 crore, Bihar Rs 5,150 crore, Gujarat Rs 4,418 crore, Haryana Rs 1,201 crore, Himachal Pradesh Rs 770 crore, Jharkhand Rs 4,079 crore, Karnataka Rs 3,897 crore, Punjab Rs 2,262 crore, Odisha Rs 5,528 crore, Rajasthan Rs 4,986 crore besides Delhi got Rs 310 crore.
The states going to poll this year like West Bengal has been allocated Rs 6,636 crore where ongoing projects include 53 new lines, gauge conversion and doubling projects for 4,463 km.
Kerala, where elections are scheduled this year, has been allocated funds to the tune of Rs 871 crore for ongoing projects which include nine new lines nd doubling projects costing Rs 8,799 crore for 458 km.
Poll-bound Tamil Nadu has been allocated Rs 2,972 crore – ongoing projects include 27 new lines, gauge conversion, doubling projects costing Rs 30,961 crore for 3,128 km.
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been given Rs 4,294 crore for ongoing projects which include three new lines and doubling projects costing Rs 28,480 crore, covering 481 km.
