Kerala govt pitches SilverLine project before the Centre once again
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Thiruvananthapuram: The state has submitted a new proposal for the semi-high-speed rail project in an attempt to revive the ambitious SilverLine project, which has stalled for a long time because the Centre has not approved it.
Ahead of the Union budget, on Saturday, during the finance ministers' meeting, Finance Minister K N Balagopal brought up the matter, presenting a list of requests prior to the start of the 18th Parliament session on Monday. Additionally, the state requested from the Union government a special package worth Rs. 24,000 crore, the New Indian Express reported.
Balagopal urged the granting of all required sanctions for the SilverLine project, stating that the people's needs cannot be met by the existing railway network.Balagopal also encouraged the introduction of better options to improve the current railway projects. “The need for the semi-high-speed rail corridor should be considered by the Centre. More express and passenger trains should be sanctioned for Kerala to meet the increasing demand,” he said.
The state has been experiencing financial hardship, the finance minister stated, and she insisted that Kerala needs a special financing package for two years in order to recover.
Balagopal requested at the meeting that Kerala receive an extra cash package worth Rs 24,000 crore in the next Union budget. He claimed Kerala had achieved remarkable progress in the areas of startup, modernization, sustained development, and human resource development.
This year, the borrowing cap ought to be raised to 3.5%. Additionally, there should be a 50:50 tax-sharing arrangement between the state and the centre. Balagopal also sought that the Centre's portion of Rs 6,000 crore for National Highway development be supplied without any limitations as loan.
The finance minister insisted that an additional Rs 5,000 crore be approved in the upcoming budget for the Vizhinjam International Transshipment Container Terminal, which is currently under development.
The finance minister also pleaded with the central government to provide an additional Rs 5,000 in funding for the construction of a tunnel project that would connect the Wayanad and Kozhikode districts.
