The Union Railway Budget 2011-12 has found favour with the Kerala State Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

According to Mr P. Ganesh, Chairman, CII Kerala State Council, the Railway Budget represented a fine balancing act between growth imperatives and inclusivity.

The Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, has laid out a very pro-people and development-oriented budget, he said. Focus has been equally strong on freight movement and amenities for passenger as for creating infrastructure facilities.

Kerala has also gained a wagon manufacturing unit, two new coaching terminals and mechanised laundries at Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram.

The State will also benefit from the decision to launch special tourist trains called ‘Janam Bhoomi Gaurav,' Mr Ganesh said, and welcomed the Minister's promise on making the Palakkad railway coach factory a reality.

It has been gratifying to see the Minister take a forward-looking approach and lay emphasis on public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives for attracting investments in infrastructure.

This opens huge opportunities for the private sector to participate effectively in realising the vision outlined in the Mission 2020 by the Ministry.

Mr Ganesh said the proposals to set up railway industrial park, a track machine facility and construction of 700 km of tracks each year, will go a long way in realising the mission.

CII has also welcomed the fact that 85 proposals have been received to allow private partnership in setting up of Railway projects as part of a separate initiative.

The pro-people, pro-industry and pro-economy Railway Budget-2011 will create a win-win situation for all , Mr Ganesh said.

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