Railway Ministry proposes joint venture for project completion

The Railway Ministry has written to the state government proposing a joint venture for the timely completion of the ongoing railway projects in the state.

On Tuesday the Chief Minister’s Office has received a letter from the ministry which stated that there are several ongoing projects of the railways in the state and a joint venture of the state government with the railways will help to complete the projects within a stipulated time. It is learnt that it has been decided in a meeting of the Central Cabinet that the railways will approach all the state governments, where there are ongoing projects, to get into joint ventures. The meeting was held 12 days ago. Sources said Chattisgarh and Kerala governments have shown interest in the proposal of the ministry. But the state government is yet to take any decision in this regard. However, according to a section of officials, the state government may not go for the joint venture. The reason being the state government may have to bear a part of the project cost if it enters in to a joint venture but the railways will take all sort of decisions related to a project. Thus the decision in this connection is yet to be taken. It has also been mentioned in the letter that the state government should form a committee which will be comprised of the chief secretary and general manager of all the four divisions in the state. The committee will lead the joint venture company when it will come into existence. During his recent visit to the state during the Bengal Global Business Summit that held on 8 and 9, railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had assured that the East West Metro project will be completed within two years.