Railway Budget is not Bengal centric: Mamata

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today fought off criticism that the Railway Budget was Bengal-centric and said she had kept in mind the entire country.

''I work for the entire country, which others don't do. I did not deprive anyone.  After serving other parts, if I do some work for Bengal, I have not committed any crime. I will do it again," she told Bengali news channel Star Ananda when asked about criticism that the budget was Bengal-centric.

On public-private partnership in railways, Banerjee said, "We are not corporatising the railways. We can go for PPP model for creating new infrastructure without disturbing the existing infrastructure as the railways did not have so much fund."

"Railway is not being privatised and it is my responsibility to give protection to railway staff," she said.

The Railway Minister said she had made a provision in the budget for various projects and lakhs of employment would be generated and one lakh employment would be created in Bengal alone through various projects.

On the setting up of cold storages by the railway, Banerjee said vegetables and raw materials often rot in the absence of adequate cold storage facilities. Now the cold storages would protect them and the railway would transport them from one point to another.

On the setting up of a land bank by the railway, she said farmers faced difficulties when their lands were forcibly acquired. Now the land bank will facilitate ready availability of land for industry.