NEW DELHI, April 16 ? Even as railway projects in the North-east continue to suffer for want of funds, Railways have failed to utilise even the sanctioned funds. While the Railways are celebrating 150 years of its existence in the country with much fanfare, in the North-east it is yet to bring all the States into the railway map of the country. And making a scathing attack on the Railways is none other then the Parliamentary Standing Committee for neglecting this sector. ?The Committee expresses displeasure over the fact that even after 54 years of independence, all the capitals have not yet been linked with railway network,? a report submitted in Lok Sabha here today said.
The Committee has questioned the very basis of allocation of funds to the NF Railways, observing that the Ministry of Railways is not consistent enough while making allocation. For instance, the Committee pointed out that it has noticed the Ministry has not even spent the allocated amount. During the last financial year 2001-2002, the Ministry allocated Rs 328 crore to the NER, out of the total budgetary support of Rs 4,338 crore received from the exchequer, but incurred an expenditure of Rs 144 crore only. During the current financial year, only Rs 385 crore of the total Rs 4,040 crore has been allocated.
?The Committee has, therefore, come to the conclusion that the Ministry of Railways has not given any indication that they are consistent and serious towards the development of railway infrastructure in the NER, which is not only strategically important but also underdeveloped and backward,? it remarked. The Parliamentary Committee recommended that the Ministry of Railways should not only allocate the mandatory minimum of 10 per cent of the budgetary support, but earmark the additional resources also for development of railway infrastructure in the NER.
According to the figures made available, allocation to the NER has been on the lower side in comparison to the budgetary support to the Railways. In 1996-1997, the Railway Ministry was allocated Rs 1,465 crore from which Rs 153 crore was allocated for the region. The Railways, meanwhile, has approached the Department for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) seeking additional funds to the tune of Rs 550 crore to expedite the progress of work. The proposal has been shot down by the DONER. Significantly, the Railway Ministry has not even been allocating 10 per cent of the budgetary allocation for the region as mandatory.