Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on the rail budget, terming it “futuristic and growth-oriented,” immediately after it was presented, sought to place it in the context of his development vision for the country. The Railway Budget marked a departure from the past, as a senior Cabinet Minister underscored, placing commercial viability above social obligations.
Mr. Modi had told ministerial colleagues that individual ministries are not expected to pursue policies in isolation, and his detailed message on the Railway Budget drives home that point further, also for the public. He said the budget would set the direction not just for the railways, but for the entire country.
“It is a budget for the common people… it aspires for better service, speed and safety. It is an effort to create a modern railways contributing towards a developed India,” the PM tweeted.
Gowda blames UPA for railways’ ills
Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda used the Railway Budget presented to Parilament on Tuesday to launch a frontal attack on the previous Congress-led UPA government, accusing it of populism, inability to complete projects and leaving its finances in poor shape.
The Modi-government’s prescription for the sector appeared to be carving out a new, not just non-populist path, but on one that would rely on public-private partnerships, private investment, FDI and the outsourcing of services ranging from catering to cleanliness.
Mr. Gowda’s holding the UPA government responsible for all the ills of the Indian Railways was of a piece with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s criticism on Monday of the previous regime when he was responding to a short duration discussion on price rise.
With an eye to the forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, many of the new trains announced pass through these states, as also through Karnataka – Mr. Gowda’s home State – and Gujarat – Mr. Modi’s State.
Two States that virtually found no mention in this list were West Bengal that has sent just two BJP MPs to the house and Kerala that has sent none at all. Not surprisingly, MPs from the States – largely from the Trinamool Congress and the Left parties — stood up to protest several times, even walking into the well of the house.
