NAGPUR, Nov 11: Union railway minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Monday that in spite of the funds crunch faced by the Railway Ministry coupled with a lack of external financial support, all developmental works assured by him all over the country would be completed. He was speaking after inaugurating the gauge conversion survey work of the 149-km-long Nagpur-Chhindwara narrow gauge line of the South Eastern Railway (SER) at Nagpur railway station here.

The minister also assured the locals that those demands which were found to be viable and within the jurisdiction of the ministry would be fulfilled. Paswan said that although the Railway Ministry was weighed down by an additional expenditure of Rs 6,200 necessary to implement the Fifth Pay Commission report, there would be no cut in the budgetary sanction for developmental work. The common man would not face the additional burden of a rise in fares either, he assured the gathering. Besides, he said, the Railways had resolved to increase its income in several ways.

Paswan said he would look into the proposition of constructing a railway over-bridge at Central Avenue, adding that if the State Government was ready to partially finance it, the Union Government would bear the additional expenditure. About the grant of railway land to the slum dwellers of Dobinagar, he said although the Railways could not sell or transfer its land, the dwellers would not be disturbed if no developmental work was planned for the land.

Regarding the demand for a retiring room, he said a proposal had already been sent to the Railway Board and that the requisite budgetary provision would be made in the next budget. BJP MP Banwarilal Purohit presided over the function. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and MP from Chhindwara, Sunderlal Patwa, MPs Datta Meghe and Shrikant Jichkar were among those present.

Speaking on the occasion, Patwa, while expressing gratitude to Paswan for fulfilling his demand for gauge conversion, requested him to make budgetary provision for the conversion in the next Railway budget, so that the work could completed soon. Meghe called for conversion of all the narrow gauge railway lines in the region, saying it would promote development and help generate employment.

WordWise: Smart alec MPs slug it out

Finding themselves together at the function, Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Sunderlal Patwa and Banwarilal Purohit and Datta Meghe made good use of the occasion, taking pot-shots at each other. Datta Meghe, the MP from Ramtek set the ball rolling. ``We want the (UF) Government to stay in power for five whole years,'' he asserted. Patwa, unable to deny himself the satisfaction of making a riposte, asked during his speech whether he (Meghe) thought he was an astrologer since he could foretell the longevity of the government. Meghe should instead worry about his own future, he suggested. Purohit said if it was a matter of astrology, Dr Jichkar, a self-acclaimed expert on the subject should be contacted. Paswan then got into the act, saying that he, being a person from humble background, did not care how long he remained in power. This, he said pointing to the leaders on dais, is a matter of concern of others.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.