Congress terms rail budget 'hollow'

Terming the railway budget for 2016-17 "hollow", the Congress on Thursday said it does not show the projected GDP growth by the Narendra Modi government.

Initiating the general discussion on the railway budget in the Rajya Sabha, Congress member Ahmed Patel said the rail budget is an important document as it is directly related to the economy of the country.

"It's a hallow budget. It's away from reality," he remarked, adding that he failed to understand how the government would achieve the projected goals for the railways.

He also took a dig at Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, saying he (Prabhu) is a competent man who is "trapped in railways".

Patel asked the government that if the economy of the country was doing well why was it not showing in the railway budget.

The upper house has eight hours of allotted time to discuss the rail budget.

On February 25, after the railway budget was presented, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it lays emphasis on investment and information technology and shows the government's commitment to the welfare of the poorer sections of society.

He said this year's rail budget builds on the budget presented by Railway Minister Prabhu last year.

"In the last year we have seen a lot of success and this budget is an effort to further improve on this," the prime minister said. - IANS