Huge investment needed for development of Indian Railways: Suresh Prabhu

Hisar(Har), Oct 27: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today said massive investment was required for development of railways in the first five years.

The minister also advocated for skill development as a tool to eradicate poverty from the country.

"For the development of railways, we need massive investment in the first five years," Prabu said here. A sum of Rs 8.5 lakh crore is needed for the development of railways which will be collected from World Bank and LIC institutions, he said.

Railways today got Rs 2,000 crore from Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), the first tranche of its financial assistance for investment in 50 projects involving construction of new lines and electrification of routes as part of its capacity augmentation programme.

"Skill development is the need of the hour as it will help in removing poverty from the country," Prabhu said here while addressing a function at Agroha Dham organised by Aggrawal community. "We all need to work towards the development of our country," he said.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Haryana government has completed its one year tenure on October 26. Khattar said he cannot claim that he has completely eradicated corruption but has reduced it considerably within one year.

The chief minister said the government is developing a system supported by information technology where nobody could indulge in corruption even if he or she wanted to. Khattar also reiterated his commitment to elevate Hisar airport to an international airport.

The work for four-laning of national highway between Rohtak, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa was inaugurated by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and the work would be completed in next six months, he added.

Union Minister for Power Piyush Goyal also congratulated the Chief Minister for successful completion of one year and said people should work together for the all-round development of the society.

Speaking on the occasion, Prabhu said the Aggarwal Samaj has undertaken various works for the development of the country and added that every section of the society should learn from Vaish Samaj.

He further said the Indus Valley Civilisation had started from Haryana and the state is self-dependent in all spheres.

PTI