Sadananda fails to bring smiles

The Union railway budget has evoked mixed reactions from various industrial and consumer organisations in the region.

While Mysore Industries Association said that Union Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has given Mysore region a ‘fake smile’, Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed the initiatives of the minister. Consumer organisations like Mysore Grahakara Parishat has said that though the budget was disappointing for Mysore region, but on the whole, it was ‘fair enough’.

Suresh Kumar Jain, General Secretary of Mysore Industries Association, said that the expectations of people of the region had not been met in the budget. “The budget should have at least ensured that the projects which were announced in previous budgets are completed,” he said.

He said that the demands of industrial associations, such as railway track between Chamarajanagar and Mettupalyam in Tamil Nadu, upgradation of Mysore railway workshop and setting up as sub-railway station close to Mysore industrial area, have not been fulfilled.

Apart from that, there has been no announcement regarding Railway Medical College, in the city, he said.

Sudhakar S Shetty, Chairman of District Coordination Committee, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, lauded the budget which has ensured administrative reforms and provided more importance for the improvement of basic facilities.

He said that the decision to improve rail connectivity in coastal areas of the State and to Bangalore was a welcome sign. However, it was disappointing to learn that Gowda had not made any announcements with regard to track doubling of Bangalore-Mysore railway line.

“He should have taken a clear decision on shifting Tipu armoury to facilitate track doubling works,” he said.

R Chandra Prakash, president of Mysore Grahakara Parishat, said that the region had not received anything new in the budget. “Project of rail connectivity between Mysore and Kodagu too was announced in the previous budget,” he noted. He also said that announcements in terms of services in railway stations was welcome.

Fillip to tourism

Mysore-Kodagu MP, Prathap Simha, in a release has said that completion of railway line between Mysore to Kodagu would provide fillip to tourism activity in the region.

“The Railway Minister has assured that survey process for the railway line between Kushalnagar and Mysore will be completed soon. The State government has also agreed to release its share of funds for the project,” he said in the release.