Rail Budget 2003

YERRAN NAIDU (TDP)We welcome that there was no fare hike in passenger and freight tariff in this year’s Railway Budget and thus neither...

YERRAN NAIDU (TDP)

We welcome that there was no fare hike in passenger and freight tariff in this year’s Railway Budget and thus neither people nor the industry is affected. However, the allocation of funds for projects in Andhra Pradesh has not come in the expected way. Therefore, development work will take much longer as more funds are required for the speedy completion of these projects.

PALANI MANIKAM (DMK)

This year’s budget wasn’t too bad because there is no fare hike in passenger and freight tariff. The allotment to Tamil Nadu is not bad but it is not good either. For instance, the Railway Minister has announced schemes like Gauge Conversion for the state, but the allotment of funds is not sufficient. I wonder as to how the Ministry proposes to do this exercise.

DEVENDRA PRASAD (JD-U)

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It is a balanced budget because it has kept the larger interest of passengers in mind. There are several new projects which should be welcomed like Broad Gauge Conversions in several key places. I would like to highlight the multi-crore bridge which is being built on the River Kosi, near the Indo-Nepal border. It will link east and west Bihar, which is crucial in the development of the state.

JAIPAL REDDY (CONGRESS)

The Congress said the Railway Budget was ‘‘status quoist’’ which lacked fresh initiative to improve the finances and the functioning of the Railways and showed that Railway Minister Nitish Kumar has confused political cowardice with populism. Stating that the budget graphically exposed the increasing bankruptcy and decreasing revenues of the Railways, party spokesman Jaipal Reddy said that passenger traffic and passenger earnings have sharply declined.

Though Kumar has not increased the rail fare, Reddy said he could not be complimented for not making enough effort to increase internal resource generation.