Odisha seeks Rs 6,500 crore package in Railway budget

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday submitted a Rs 6,500 crore package proposal on railways for Odisha in the 2018-19 budget to the Union Railway Ministry.

The demand includes detailed proposals for ongoing projects, sanctioning of new lines, station modernisation, an introduction of new trains, the extension of existing trains, improved passenger amenities at stations, onboard services, the establishment of rail-based industries, multimodal logistic parks and others.

"I enclose herewith a detailed proposal of about ₹6,500 crore for the State of Odisha for your consideration and inclusion in Budget 2018-19," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

Patnaik said Odisha generates an annual revenue for Indian Railways in excess of ₹15,000 crore. "Yet the average route length, with density (16) in the State is much less than the national average (20), and even considerably lower in comparison to adjoining States (West Bengal: 43.4 and Jharkhand: 24.3).

With its State GDP growth rate at almost 20 per cent, higher than the national average, Odisha has been steadily evolving as a major industrial and mineral hub as well as the eastern gateway to the nation owing to the multiple functional ports, he said in the letter.

PTI