People's
Democracy
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of
India (Marxist) No. 09
March 02, 2003
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of
India (Marxist) |
Vol.
XXVII No. 09 March 02, 2003 |
New
Delhi,
February
27:
The
Centre
of
Indian
Trade
Unions
(CITU)
secretariat
has
issued
the
following
statement
on
the
Railway
Budget:
The
Railway
budget
presented
to
the
Lok
Sabha
by
the
minister
for
Railways
Shri
Nitish
Kumar
is
conspicuously
an
election
eve
budget.
People
in
India
have
already
had
experience
of
cosmetic
budgets
on
the
eve
of
elections,
full
of
proposal
not
backed
by
adequate
fund
allocation
and
supporting
programmes.
The
present
railway
budget
is
a
typical
example
of
election
even
cosmetic
budget.
While
it
is
noted
that
there
has
not
been
any
increase
in
fair
and
freight,
there
is
no
attempt
to
seriously
examine
the
causes
of
the
devastating
accidents
that
have
taken
place
in
recent
times
and
the
measures
proposed
by
the
minister
is
only
of
routine
nature
showing
criminal
callousness
of
the
rail
ministry
about
the
safety
of
passenger.
As
usual
large
number
of
new
tarns
are
going
to
be
introduced
during
this
year
but
rolling
stock
programme
has
been
slashed
down
which
means
on
one
hand
there
will
be
further
overcrowding
and
on
the
other
hand
more
and
more
over-aged
coaches
will
be
used
increasing
accident
risks.
Over
congestion
of
rail
track
is
a
major
contributing
factor
for
accidents.
The
Minister
proposes
to
complete,
225
km
of
new
lines.
It
is
insignificant
compared
to
requirement.
The
allotment
of
fund
for
tract
renewal
will
not
touch
event
he
fringe
of
the
serious
problem.
The
minister
has
resorted
to
a
clever
piece
of
jugglery
when
he
claims
that
the
plan
outlay
has
increased
by
Rs.603
crore.
He
had
added
Rs.2,311
crore
outlay
on
safety
work
through
railway
safety
fund
which
has
been
created
for
expenditure
on
safety
in
addition
to
normal
plan
outlay.
Thus
the
budget
will
at
least
usher
in
a
year
of
national
dis-satisfaction.
