Railway Budget Insult For AP, Telangana: Congress

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Vice-President Mohammed Ali Shabbir alleged that the BJP government at the Centre had insulted the two Telugu States by allocating meagre funds to them in the Railway Budget.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Friday, Shabbir Ali said that the South Central Railway had been allocated a meagre sum of Rs 2,768 crores in the Railway Budget presented by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday.

He said that the SCR served Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. Therefore, the allocation of Rs 2,768 crores was not only insufficient, but an open insult to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, whose individual annual budgets exceeded Rs 1 lakh crores each.

"I have not seen such a horrible budget in my political career of more than 25 years," he said.

Furnishing the list of major ongoing projects, Shabbir Ali said that seven major projects related to doubling/tripling of lines cost about Rs 11,293 crores. However, a paltry sum of Rs 258.22 crores or just 2.28% had been allocated for them in 2015-16.

He said that about 30 major projects worth Rs 20,680 crores were pending in the two Telugu States. "How does the Centre propose to complete those projects by allocating just Rs 2,768 crores?" he asked.

The Congress leader alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had failed to get funds even for the project meant for his constituency. He said that the 159-km Manoharabad-Kothapalli line passing through Gajwel, Sircilla and Vemulawada found no mention in the budget. Similarly, nothing had been done for the 200-km Manuguru to Ramagundem line which was crucial for transportation of coal for power projects.

He expressed wonder over the reaction of Nizamabad MP and KCR's daughter K Kavitha praising the Railway Budget.

"She is praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as she wants to join his cabinet. She would've condemned the budget if she was really concerned about the people of Telangana," he said.

Shabbir Ali accused KCR and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of singing "bhajans" in praise of Modi only for personal gains.

"Both of them have disappointed the Telugu people and failed to get anything from the Centre. They should either get at least Rs 1,000 crores each from the Centre or return the allocated budget. We were treated like beggars as the allocated amount is nothing short of alms. We must refuse to accept it," he said.

The Congress leader demanded that KCR lead a protest at Jantar Mantar and that all MPs from Telangana jointly lodge their protest against the Centre's attitude.

He said that the Congress party would fully support and participate in such a protest. (INN)