HP CM welcomes rail budget, BJP feels the state neglected

Shimla, Feb 26 (UNI) Reacting to the Railway Budget, presented in the Parliament by Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav today, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh termed it as popular, progressive and in the interest of every section of the society.

The reduction in the railway fares by the Railway Minister was a welcome step that would make the journey of the comman man easy and affordable, he said, in a release here.

Mr Singh said the proposal to introduce eight new AC ''Garib Raths'', with no across-the-board increase in freight charges and a cash surplus of Rs. 20,000 crore, showed the visionary policies of the UPA Government at the Centre.

The reduction in the fares of all categories of seasonal and other railway tickets would benefit the frequent railway commuters and was a welcome step, he said.

He welcomed the extension of existing railway services, introduction of 32 new trains, addition of 800 new coaches to the existing passenger trains, allotment of lower berths in reserved compartments on request to the single traveling senior citizens, women above 45 years of age and developing 300 more railway stations as model stations across the country.

Besides, targeting freight of 60 million tonne during the year, e-ticketing and allied booking facilities at nominal charges and efforts to bring in efficiency and transparency in the railway functioning, increasing the berth quota for the physically handicapped and separate coach for milkmen and vegetable vendors and 50 per cent rebate to the candidates appearing for UPSC and railway Examinations, were some of the popular measures proposed for coming financial year, he said.

The Chief Minister hailed the Railway Minister's decision in principle to take up the Chandigarh-Baddi Railway line construction work on priority.

He said he would take up the construction of Bhanupalli-Bilaspur and Nangal-Talwara Railway Project with the Centre.

Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP accused the UPA Government at the Centre for overlooking the Himachal Pradesh's claim for expending the railway network in the state.

For the third successive year, the UPA Government at the Centre has not announced any expansion plan for the state, party spokesman Randhir Sharma said in a release here.

Mr Sharma, alleged that ever since the UPA Government came in power three years ago, it has been discriminating with the state as there was nothing in it for, the governments inerest.

UNI