Kolkata: Dr Shashi Panja, minister of state for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare severely criticized the BJP led Centre for its orchestrated initiatives to deprive Bengal in different spheres including the Railways.
Addressing a press conference at Trinamool Bhavan on Monday Dr Panja said: "In the Union budget of 2018, Rs 4 crore was allotted for the coach repair factory at Sealdah, in 2019 it was brought down to Rs 1,000 besides Rs 1,000 only was allocated in the union budget of 2019 for the Rail museum in Howrah and another Rs 1,000 was allocated for the coach washing workshops in Asansol and Howrah." She said allocating Rs 1,000 for a project means shelving it. Again, to lay new railway line in Lakshmikantapur-Namkhana Rs 1.18 crore was allotted in 2018 union budget but was drastically brought down Rs 10 lakh in 2019. For Burdwan Katwa line Rs 1.69.08 crore was allotted in 2018 and was reduced to Rs 85.99 crore in 2019.
In 2020-21 union budget, the Centre decided to shelve 20 new connectivity ventures and 10 upgradation projects which were launched by Mamata Banerjee especially in rural Bengal. "It is really shocking that several projects in Bengal like Jaleshwar–Kaliagunj- Buniadpur, Irfala-Ghatal, Arambag-Champaganga, Bishnupur,Uparsole, Mayanapur-Kamarpukur have been allocated Rs 1,000 only. The Prime Minister says he is a follower of Sri Ramakrishna, but his government has allocated just Rs 1,000 for the extension of the railway line connecting Tarakeshwar with Jairambati, the birthplace of Ma Sarada," she said.
The leader alleged that the BJP-led Centre allocated funds very slowly for the east-west Metro project which was inaugurated by Mamata Banerjee in 2014.
The BJP government accuse the state government for not allotting land but as usual there is no basis for the accusation. Again, no states were consulted before sending Shramik special trains during the pandemic. The bengal government operated more than 300 special trains to get its people home during the pandemic.
She said the railway budget presented separately three years ago is now merged with the general budget. Now, no transparency is maintained in the public domain on projects and expenditure incurred. "As we cannot follow they are now trying to fudge the numbers or cook the book as they say it," Dr Panja said.
"The Bullet train which the PM had flagged off broke down during the inaugural run. The route from Ahmedabad to Mumbai has over 40 per cent seat vacancies. India could have saved over 3 billion US dollars had a fair bidding process had been conducted. Each kilometre of the Bullet train project costs Rs 180 crore.
A dedicated freight corridor- the aloo sabzi corridor that moves ordinary commodities for ordinary farmers and ordinary consumers costs Rs 23 crore a km. Why this project has not been given priority," she wondered.