The CPI (M), which heads the Left Front government in Tripura, has criticised the Railway Budget for “ignoring” the north-east, while the Opposition Congress has termed it progressive and pro-people.
“The budget is very frustrating. It has cheated the people of the north-eastern region,” CPI (M) spokesperson Gautam Das said on Tuesday.
The region got next to nothing as the budget proposed no new project or funds. “We believe that the budget is aimed at the next general election, but it will not work,” he said.
Mr. Das pointed out that the budget had not set any deadline for completing the project to lay a broad-gauge track between Lumding and Badarpur in Assam, which could immensely help Tripura. Agartala is linked to Lumding through a metre-gauge line, whose conversion has become uncertain owing to security problems in some hilly areas.
Countering the charges, Pradesh Congress Committee president Sudip Roy Burman said: “It has taken care of the interests of all sections. Fare has not been hiked.”
He said the UPA government was keen on the development of the region, and it had proposed most of projects now being implemented. There would be no dearth of funds for rail link expansion in the region.
Keywords: Tripura, CPI(M), Railway budget 2013-14, Pawan Kuman Bansal, rail budget, railway budget, northeast
Every party that aims a vote share declares that the are which they want to represent is ignored. While out of 64 new trains, 14 is allocated to Tamil Nadu where the CM declares that her state had a step motherly treatment. West Bengal too has a similar comment. What do these politicians really want from the budget... all 64 trains to their area alone?
The Railway budget 2013-14 has totally frustrated millions of people living in the Barak valley (Southern Assam), Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram by not setting a target date for completion of Gauge conversion of Lumbding - Badarpur - Silchar Metre-Gauge section of the NF Railway and also not announcing/ providing budgetary provision for Gauge conversion of Badarpur-Dharmanagar- Agartala -[Sabroom] Metre-Gauge section. This Gauge conversion would help direct link of this region with the National Capital as well as other important metros spread across the country.It is alleged that some transport operator (mafia)of the region in collusion with some terror group are behind the dilly dally of the gauge conversion work - the railway authorities and Assam Govt. are conniving with their tactics. Railway Ministry should see that the project gets completed at the shortest possible time for the benefit of all concerned people of the region.
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