CUTTACK: Notwithstanding the fact that the Congress is the major constituent of the UPA government at the Centre, a senior Congress leader of Orissa has warned that people in the State will launch an agitation against the Railway Ministry if adequate provisions were not made for the State in the railway budget.

Speaking to newsmen here on Tuesday, former railway minister K.C. Lenka demanded that the ministry should allocate at least Rs. 1,500 crores for the State in the next fiscal for timely completion of all the ongoing railway projects in Orissa.

Projects sanctioned for the State during 1994 were still pending for inadequate budgetary allocation, he alleged.

New chapter

"A new chapter of progress in Orissa railway history was initiated in 1993 during which nearly 40 per cent of the total budget sanctioned for construction in India was allocated to Orissa. But after that important railway projects of the State were shelved," pointed out Mr. Lenka.

When asked as to why he and his party leaders were not raising the issue with national leaders, the Congress leader said he had already drawn the attention of the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister about the raw deal.

Incomplete projects like Khurda-Balangir, Talcher-Bimlagarh and Daitary-Keonjhar-Banspani railway lines had already crossed the completion deadline.

Electrification work

Works for electrification of Kharagpur-Bhubanswar portion had not yet started while the zonal office at Bhubaneswar was functioning without headquarters building, railway hospital, training school and store for the past ten years, he said.

Infrastructure

"A strong and sound infrastructure would be created if Angul-Sukinda-Jakhpura rail line would be completed within two years as the area is coming up as a major industrial hub of the State. Doubling of existing Cuttack-Paradeep line had been delayed for long as a result the coal-handling plants at Paradeep port are incurring heavy losses," the former railway minister said.

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