Odisha gets Rs 6995.58 crore for railway sector

Bhubaneswar: A total of Rs 6995.58 crore has been allocated to Odisha for various railway projects in the state for 2021-22, informed the East Coast Railways on Thursday.

The total budget outlay for the state this year is 60 per cent more than the last year’s outlay of Rs 4373 crore.

Khurdha road-Bolangir railway project has been allocated with Rs 1000.50 crore against 520 crore last year.

Rs 400 crore has been allocated to Angul-Sukinda road railway project.

Funding for doubling projects especially, Bansapani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura Rs 228 cr against 80 cr last year (an increase of 185%), Brundamal-Jharsuguda Fly Over (Rs 20 Cr against Rs 10 Cr last year), Bhadrak-Nergundi 3rd Line (Rs 229 Cr against 102 Cr last  year), Budhapank-Salagaon (Rs 215 Cr against 205 Cr last year), Rourkela-Jharsuguda 3rd Line (Rs 230 Cr as against Rs 170 Cr an increase of 35%), Narayangarh-Bhadrak 3rd Line ( Rs 225 cr as against Rs 50 Cr an increase of 350%).

A quantum jump has been given to passenger amenities from Rs 129 crore to Rs 429 crore. To eliminate level crossings of LC Gates Rs 400 crore has been sanctioned as against Rs 324 crore last year.

Total budget outlay for development of infrastructure and safety related works for Odisha is Rs 5528 crore for 2021-22, which does not include many other projects and estimates as they are not significant enough for mention at ministry level; but for ECoR and Odisha, these are important development works, said the ECoR.

The funding for Odisha in 2021-22 under all plan heads combined is Rs 6995.58 crore.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said this shows the commitment of Narendra Modi government towards the development of Odisha.