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The following is from page 23-24 of http://164.100.47.5/newdebate/213/12032008/15.00pmTo16.00pm.pdf. on 12th March 2008.

MS. PRAMILA BOHIDAR (ORISSA): Sir, I would like to thank the hon. Railway Minister for having taken the step to grant free monthly tickets to girl students up to graduation level. Sir, the hon. Railway Minister has also taken a very welcome step to grant 50 per cent concession for railway travel to senior women citizens. Sir, I also express happiness for extending a train from Sambalpur to Banaras via Rourkela and Ranchi. But, this is only a half-hearted step. I had raised the demand for a direct train from Titlagarh or Sambalpur to Allahabad during the course of my speech in the last so many Railway Budgets. But, this has not been done. If this train is introduced, a lot of passengers of western Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh will be benefited.

Sir, I would like to draw the special attention of the Railway Minister to the different developmental grants given to Orissa, which are not sufficient. As Orissa is giving maximum revenue from valuable iron ore and mines, it is but natural for us to expect developmental work of railway system in interiors of Orissa. There is lack of railway link inside the adivasi areas and the newly developed industrial belt. These areas are to be well-connected with capital Bhubaneswar; otherwise, it will be very difficult to control immediately frequent naxalite attacks. Sir, the Orissa Government has presented demands for setting up of various projects, like wagon-making, electrical equipment making, factories at Bondamunda near Rourkela and Manchansuer near Bhubaneswar. But, these proposals have not been included in the Railway Budget. It is regrettable that these demands have not been fulfilled. Sir, our Chief Minister had raised a demand of Rs.1,330 crores, but the Budget has allocated only Rs.972 crores. Out of the above allocation, the major portion is meant for electrification and doubling of inter-State railway lines.

Sir, very less importance has been given to completion of on-going projects or construction of new railway lines. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that some of the railway projects, though sanctioned between 1993 and 1998, have not been completed till date for want of proper allocation of funds. These projects are mostly in tribal and naxalite areas. These areas have been neglected in this Budget. These on-going projects are: Daitari-Banspani; Lanjigarh-Junagarh; Khurda Road-Bolangir; Haridaspur-Paradeep; Angul-Dubri-Sukinda; Talcher-Bimalagarh; and Rupsa- Bangiriposi.

Sir, only some negligible amount of Rs.32.4 crores and Rs.35 crores have been provided to Khurda Road-Bolangir and Lanjigarh-Junagarh railway lines respectively, which will still remain incomplete. I request the Railway Minister that these projects should be completed early. Sir, the State Government has already submitted some proposals for incorporation in the current Budget, but it is regrettable that not a single project has been incorporated in this Budget.

Sir, I would also request the hon. Railway Minister to provide railway link to the naxalite affected areas, like Jaypore, Malkangiri, Naupada, Gunupur, Kandhamal, which are neglected for decades. Sir, I impress upon the hon. Railway Minister to consider the abovementioned proposals in greater interest of Orissa. Thank you, Sir. (Ends)

MP Sushila Tiria’s speech in Hindi on 11th March 2008 is at http://164.100.47.5/newdebate/213/11032008/14.00pmTo15.00pm.pdf (page 15-23) and page 1 of http://164.100.47.5/newdebate/213/11032008/15.00pmTo16.00pm.pdf.