OLA House Committee to press for funds for railway expansion

Bhubaneswar, Oct 30 (UNI) The House Committee of Orissa Legislative Assembly will submit a memorandum to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad demanding release of funds for expansion of railway network in the state.

The decision to submit the memorandum was taken at a meeting held here under the Chairmanship of Speaker Kishore Mohanty.

The members were asked at the meeting to submit their suggestions within a week based on which the new memorandum would be prepared.

The Committee had earlier submitted a memorandum on January 30 last requesting for allocation of Rs 1330 crore in 2008-2009 railway budget for the expansion of the railway network in the state, but the Railway ministry had provided only Rs 949.34 crore in the budget.

Sources said most of the demands of the committee were not considered by the Centre. The proposed memorandum while reiterating the old demands, would also furnish some new ones.

Though the Committee in the past had demanded for sanction of new railway line for the state,the Railway ministry neither sanction any new line excepting clearing the survey of Barabil-Banspani railway line.

UNI BD-DP KK AB 1654