TMC attacks govt over railway budget

Trinamool Congress, which broke away from the UPA leaving the railway portfolio to the Congress, has launched an attack on the government over the railway budget in Lok Sabha on Monday.

Trinamool Congress, which broke away from the UPA leaving the railway portfolio to the Congress, has launched an attack on the government over the railway budget in Lok Sabha on Monday.

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Taking part in the discussion on the railway budget, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy has alleged that the rail budget has not allocated anything to West Bengal.

"You may be angry with the Trinamool which broke away from you .... But why did you not give anything to the state," he said, comparing the cost of projects and the "meagre" allocations.

Roy, a former minister of state in the UPA, went on to add that the rail minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has deprived the people of Kolkata of good transport system.

The Lok Sabha members have complained that successive railway ministers have the habit of announcing projects many of which remain unimplemented from decades.

Several members also sought revamp of the railways, comparing the situation of the network with countries like China, Japan and Korea.

Rajnath backs Mamata claim on special package
Kolkata: BJP chief Rajnath Singh demanded a special economic package for West Bengal, creating a flutter in the political circles over a possible alliance with TMC.

"Bengal is paying an annual interest of Rs 26,000 crore to the Centre as against its annual income of Rs 21,000 crore. Under the circumstances, we demand a special economic package for the state. At the same time, proper monitoring should be done.