New Delhi
The detailed project report (DPR) of the new line Janjatiya Gaurav Corridor, envisaged in the Union Budget for 2023-24, has been taken up by the Central Government.
In a written reply, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha that the DPRs of the projects identified under the corridor, costing Rs 70,000 crore, including those falling fully or partly in Odisha have been taken up.
It includes consultations with various stakeholders including State governments, public representatives, and organisations/rail users/tribal people etc among others.
“In order to push the rail infrastructure in tribal dominated regions and to promote the rail connectivity in such regions in coming years, an umbrella work of new line as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Corridor’ costing Rs 70,000 crore has been provided in the Budget for FY 2023-24 subject to requisite government approvals.
“Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the projects identified under ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Corridor’ including those falling fully/partly in state of Odisha have been taken up which includes consultations with various stakeholders including State Governments, public representatives, organisations/rail users/tribal people etc,” he said.
“The projects are appraised based on the parameters brought out in the DPR after firming up of various parameters including traffic projections and socio-economic benefits,” he said.
He said new line projects including those in “Janjatiya Gaurav Corridor” are taken forward on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations depending upon overall availability of funds and competing demands.
The Janjatiya Gaurav Corridor is part of the Government’s mega tribal push, the Modi Government has decided to observe ovember 15, tribal icon Birsa Munda’s birthday, as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas. It has also earmarked a huge amount for tribal affairs with the Scheduled Tribe Component (STC) of different Ministries being a whopping Rs 90,000 crore. From setting up tribal freedom fighters’ museums across the country to renaming railway stations after them, the tribal focus has been huge.
