Mamata has played tricks with figures: CPI

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) Terming the Rail Budget as an"exercise in deceit", the CPI(M) today alleged that RailwayMinister Mamata Banerjee had "cunningly juggled" figures toshow improved financial position of the PSU behemoth which itclaimed had been turned bankrupt.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the RailwayMinister has played with figures to project an operating ratioof 91.1 per cent for 2011-12 which he claimed has touched 115per cent at present.

"Railways have paid Rs 1700 crore less as dividend,"and has therefore been able to show an improved operatingratio, he said.

"She has played tricks with figures and has cunninglyjuggled with statistics," he said.

Criticising the Minister''s move of clubbing allannounced and pending projects under the Pradhan Mantri RailVikas Yojana, he demanded to know from the Planning Commissionabout the status of the announced projects.

He said Railway should have grown at around 12 percent to maintain the country''s growth rate of 8 to 9 per cent,"but sadly the growth rate of the PSU was a mere three percent at present".

He also pointed to the large number of vacant posts inthe organisation and accused the Minister of taking an"anti-labour" position by blaming the implementation of thepay commission recommendations for the Railways'' financialmess.

"Despite Railways'' strength and sound economicfundamentals, they (the Government) have done the unthinkableof turning Railways bankrupt," Yechury said.

Stating that Railways'' share of goods traffic has comedown to 35 per cent, Yechury said the Minister could have laidfocus on the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project, "but not asingle kilometre of track has been laid so far".