Rail Budget 2013: Supplementary charges will indirectly increase fare charge, says Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: Terming the Rail Budget as a "big disappointment", Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said the proposal for supplementary charges will indirectly increase the passenger fare.

The proposal to link passenger fare and freight charges with fuel adjustment component will lead to an increase in passenger fare as well as freight charges, he said.

Increase in the freight charges from time to time will have a cascading effect leading to price rise of essential commodities, Mr Patnaik said.

"Supplementary charges for superfast trains, besides increase in reservation fee, cancellation charge and tatkal charges will indirectly increase the passenger fare," the chief minister said.

Mr Patnaik said the Railway Minister has allocated only Rs 869 crore to Odisha against a demand of Rs 3,050 crore for various projects.

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"The central government has once again given a step- motherly treatment to the state especially when it is giving more than Rs 14,000 crore revenue per annum to Railways," he claimed.

To the state's demand for 31 new trains, the Rail budget has sanctioned only six, he said, adding, the frequency of only one train was increased against the demand for 18.

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"Against our demand of 13 new lines, only one line has been sanctioned. Though Odisha has been demanding expansion of rail network in Left Wing Extremism affected and tribal areas, there has been no such sanction," Mr Patnaik said.

Besides, the promised world-class railway station for Puri and Bhubaneswar have not been sanctioned though it was announced in 2010.

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"This is unfortunate when the state is gearing up for celebration of Nabakalebar festival," Mr Patnaik said.