The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Rail budget good in parts: Jayalalithaa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 27, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Rail budget good in parts: Jayalalithaa

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 26. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today described the railway budget "a proverbial curate's egg that is good in parts."

With 12 Ministers from Tamil Nadu in the Central Cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the budget contained only promises, which was disappointing.

In a statement here, the Chief Minister said that even with the high growth rate in freight and passenger traffic that had been recorded, the Railway Minister had not been able to secure an impressive plan outlay for the next financial year.

The plan outlay, she said, showed a meagre growth of barely 5 per cent over the current financial year. Even with the addition of funds from the Railway Safety Fund, the total outlay for the next financial year would be only 8 per cent over that of 2004-05. If we discount for the price increase, there would be stagnation in total investment in essential infrastructure, namely, railways.

Welcoming the decision to extend full compensation on passenger fare for unemployed youth attending interviews for selection to State Government jobs and the reduction in freight rate for kerosene and LPG, the Chief Minister said that the new trains announced for Tamil Nadu would benefit passengers of the State.

Although, the budget had made provision for adding new lines, doubling lines and gauge conversion, including projects in Tamil Nadu, it was disappointing that the completion of the Thiruvanmiyur - Velacheri Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) had been postponed to 2006-07. The long delay, she said, was quite unacceptable. Further it was disappointing to note that despite the fact the State Government had given concurrence to meet two thirds of the cost of the project between Velacheri and St.Thomas Mount no specific provision had been made for the line. Further, instead of providing funds for taking up the Chennai — Cuddalore line via Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry along the east coast all that had been said was that the survey for the new line was to be updated, her statement added.

Welcome features

The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, G.K.Vasan, said that there were many welcome features in the budget, including cent per cent concession in fare for unemployed to attend interviews for State Government jobs, 50 per cent reduction for farmers attending training in national agricultural institutes, and 75 per cent concession for annual educational tours.

The State secretary of the Communist Party of India, R. Nallakannu, thanked the Minister for not increasing the passenger and freight fares in the budget. He wanted the Minister to take steps for electrification of the Chennai — Kanyakumari section, increase in number of services between Chennai and Tenkasi, and formation of new division with headquarters at Salem.

The National Chamber of Commerce, Hindustan Chamber of Commerce, All-India Tax Payers Association, the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce, and the Andhra Chamber of Commerce have generally welcomed the budget. The Hindutan Chamber said felt that no visionary approach had been adopted for the modernisation of railways. The Andhra chamber said that the Minister had spelt out several measures for augmentation of internal resources and improving operational efficiency.

The Tamil Nadu Chamber was disappointed by the increase in freight charges for sugar and foodgrains while the Tax Payers' association said that there was no concrete proposal for improving safety measures.

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