BJP rubbishes rail budget, says Rajasthan ignored

Jaipur, Feb 24 (UNI) Rajasthan's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has rubbished the railway budget 2006-07 presented by Mr Lalu Prasad today, saying it has ignored the state totally.

State BJP unit's vice-president Omkar Singh Lakhawat, while criticising the budget, said the Congress is solely responsible for ignoring Rajasthan. He said the budget represents Congress's political narrow mindedness as there has been no fund allocation for gauge conversions, laying of new lines and doubling of existing lines.

He said the Railway Minister has played a cruel joke on farmers by reducing the fares of AC tiers while on the other hand, a significant rise in prices of diesel, DAP urea and pesticides has even prompted many farmers to commit suicide.

He said the UPA government should have prioritised the completion of already declared rail lines instead of announcing new lines.

There has been an attempt to mislead the public by announcing some new weekly trains, he added.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Congress Committee while welcoming the budget, says it is going to benefit the common man.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Dr B D Kalla said the budget is beneficial for the common man as there has been no increase in fares and added an 18 percent reduction in AC first class and 10 per cent decrease in AC II tier fares have been proposed.

Dr Kalla said the budget has made provisions for unemployed youths under special ticket scheme, and special recruitment drives for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes.

Meanwhile national cordinator of Akhil Rajasthan Upbhokta Sangathan Mahasangh, Dr Anant Sharma, while complimenting the railway minister said this budget is ideal for development of railways and provides enough measures to help passengers.

UNI RRT PA RK1720