CM bats for goods trains

SHILLONG, March 8: Amidst the protest over the introduction of railways in the state, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday said the state government will work towards bringing good trains to Meghalaya.
The Chief Minister admitted that railway is a long-pending issue in the state and requires a lot of consultations and discussions with the stakeholders.
“We need to make people realise the railways will bring long-term benefits for the state,” he told journalists here.
Pointing out that the government would have to adopt a lot of confidence-building measures before the matter is taken up, he said that the government has taken certain measures such as coming up with a tourist facilitation centre at Umling, while the facilitation centre at Mendipathar in North Garo Hills is ready for inauguration.
He also said that the government is keen on making the facilitation centre at Ratacherra and in other places functional at the earliest.
“Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has liked the state’s idea of letting goods trains run,” he said.
Recalling the difficulties faced during the COVID-19 pandemic as trucks had to come here and people had to be checked, he said the government is getting a positive response to the proposal of bringing goods trains.
The Centre has proposed two railway projects in the state – the 22-km Tetelia-Byrnihat line estimated at Rs. 496 crore and the 108-km Byrnihat-Shillong line. These projects have been hanging fire due to strong opposition from different groups apprehending influx.
CM for judicious fund management
Sangma was hopeful that the new recommendations of the Finance Commission would ease things but he said the government would have to be judicious in managing its finances.
Insisting that the additional expenditure of the government in terms of the salary component has increased by Rs 1,000 crore annually after the 5th Pay Commission was implemented, Sangma admitted that the last two years have been a big challenge and the government was expecting better revenues with the devolution of the Finance Commission until the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
He, however, said that though the government expects revenue to increase the government would have to judiciously manage its resources.
“In the last few years, we have ensured the focus is primarily on committed liabilities and salary, pension and interest are not compromised. We have also ensured that the utilisation certificates for central government schemes are submitted on time and money is also released on time,” Sangma added.
In addition, the state has reduced huge funding under externally aided projects and the Government also claimed to cut down on cost.