By IANS,
Bhubaneswar: Activists of Orissa’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Tuesday afternoon protested the Indian railways’ neglect of the state, complaining of insufficient allocations for Orissa in the railway budget 2011-12.
A large number of party activists and leaders, under the banner of BJD’s youth wing, took out a motorcycle rally and gathered near Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Governor M.C.Bhandare.
They also shouted slogans criticising the central government for poor allocation of funds to the state in the 2011-12 railway budget.
At least 30 party legislators attended the rally and addressed the gathering.
“Railways is getting revenue of more than Rs.7,000 crore from our state every year, but in return giving back only a meagre amount,” legislator and BJD youth wing chief Sanjaya Das Verma said.
“We will intensify our protest against the railway ministry in the coming days,” he said.
In his response to the railway budget, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had said the state government request for new lines, new surveys and capacity expansion was not considered by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“It was grossly inadequate considering the requirement of the on-going projects in Orissa and completely falls short of our legitimate demands,” he said.
The state government had demanded that the railways sanction Rs.2,085 crore for various projects in the state in 2011-2012, but the proposed allocation was only about Rs.1,168 crore, Patnaik noted.