Raw deal to State in Rly Budget: CPM

Visakhapatnam: The Railway Budget for 2016-17 presented by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday disappointed the people of Andhra Pradesh especially north coastal Andhra as they pinned high hopes on special railway zone for Vizag which was not even touched, remarked former Minister Dadi Veerabhadra Rao.

Speaking to The Hans India, he said: “I was disappointed with the railway budget, as no new trains or no new lines were announced for Vizag,” he stated. Even during the tenure of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the Centre had done injustice to Vizag despite his repeated appeals. Hence, the Andhra Pradesh government has offered matching grant for new projects which were sanctioned for Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, too, offered matching grant, but no new projects have been announced, he lamented. With regard to the passenger amenities and ticket fares, the Railway Minister gave relief to the common man, he added.

Totally upset with the railway budget of 2016-17, the City Congress Committee will stage a protest here on Friday on behalf of north coastal Andhra people, said PCC general secretary and former Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivas.

Though the term of providing a special railway zone for Vizag was stated in the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act-2013, the NDA government failed to implement the same and the railway budget was completely a ‘hi-tech budget’. Despite receiving good revenue from the Waltair division, the third highest revenue generation centre in the nation, there was no mention of new trains, new lines and new projects, rued Dronamraju.

Former VUDA Chairman and TDP leader Dr SA Rehaman observed that the NDA government would render justice to Andhra Pradesh under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, particularly to Vizag even though there was no mention of special railway zone in the budget itself.

President of Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika SS Siva Shankar alleged that the railway budget has disappointed the people of north Andhra as there are no new trains or new lines and no mention of wagon parts manufacturing factory.

RS Member and Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation Dr T Subbarami Reddy alleged that injustice was done to the people of Andhra Pradesh, especially people of north coastal Andhra, as there was no mention of special railway zone for Vizag. “There was no clarity in the budget. Neither new trains nor new lines nor new projects were announced,” he added.

City Congress Committee President Behra Bhaskar Rao alleged that the Centre has once again disappointed the Andhra people particularly north coastal Andhra people, hence they will stage a protest on Friday. MLC MVS Sarma said that the statement of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu after his recent Delhi visit that the Centre has agreed for a special railway zone, but it proved baseless as there was no mention of it in the budget.

Sarma demanded that the MPs elected from the State should resign immediately as a protest failing which it will be construed that the TDP is also supporting the BJP in doing injustice to the State.

District Committee of CPM alleged that the NDA government has shown a raw-deal to the State, specially for Vizag with no mention of long-felt demand for special railway zone. District secretary K Lokanadham alleged despite the assurances given by Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu and the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Centre once again cheated the people of AP with no new trains or lines.

It was nothing but to handover the Indian Railways to corporate bodies, he added. BJP leader J Prudhviraj described the railway budget as common man’s budget and pro-poor as the Railway Minister has presented the budget announcing more amenities with no hike in fares. There is a possibility of offering more facilities to the State during Parliament session, he hoped.