Odisha gets Rs 4,373 cr for railway projects in 2020-21 budget

Odisha has been allocated Rs 4,373 crore for different railway projects in the Union budget for the 2020-21 fiscal, an official said on Wednesday. In the previous financial year Odisha was allocated Rs 4,593 crore.

This time, the Centre has sanctioned a new project the 241 km long Sambalpur-Gopalpur new line via Phulbani. The project has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 2,957 crore subject to final approval of the Niti Aayog, the official said. The total outlay for East Coast Railway Zone including Odisha is Rs 5,865 crore in 2020-21 fiscal, the official said, claiming that all major projects in the state have got a significant increase in allotment.

"Allotment has been made on the basis of need of each project and requirement at the site. So there has been an enhancement in case of all projects. Each project has been reviewed and amount allotted accordingly," the official said. He said the Khurda Road-Balangir line has been given Rs 520 crores against Rs 350 crore last year while Angul- Sukinda project has got Rs 450 crore against Rs 250 crore last year.

As Haridaspur-Paradeep project will be commissioned this year by March, only Rs 100 crore has been allotted in 2020-21 budget as the project is nearing completion, the official said, adding that this project was allotted Rs 400 crore last year. This apart, the official said: "There is a significant increase in allotment towards doubling projects especially, Sambalpur-Talcher, Sambalpur-Titlagarh, Titlagarh-Rayagada and Titlagarh-Raipur." The electrification of Khurda Road-Bolangir line and Lanjigarh Road-Junagarh Road line has been given priority, the official said, adding that Wagon Repair Workshop at Maneswar near Sambalpur has been given Rs 20 crore.

"To enhance safety and to eliminate level crossings, constructing Road Over Bridge (ROBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) have been given top priority and Rs 1,165 crore have been sanctioned," the official said. Though the Centre last year allotted Rs 4,593 crore for rail project development last year, the total project funds for the state was Rs 5,993 crore with NTPC investing Rs 1,400 crore for the development of the railway project connecting Jharsuguda-Barpalli Coal corridor.

"This amount of Rs 1,400 crore is not included this year as the project got commissioned last year. There is no investment from NTPC in this or other such projects this year as the work is completed," the official said. BJP state president Samir Mohanty thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for better allocation of funds for the railway infrastructure development in the state.

"So far the Modi government has allocated Rs 29,121 crore for Odisha," Mohanty said. BJD MP Prasanna Acharya said the allocation for Odisha is too small. "We had sought more allocation than the previous year. The allocation made in the budget is less than our expectation. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also given many proposals for the railway infrastructure in the state. Those demands were not met this time," Acharya said..

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