Kochi: The state projects that got major allocation in the railway budget are unlikely to be taken up in the immediate future as they are allotted under the ‘Extra Budgetary Resources’ (EBR) head.
While Rs 6,000 crore was allocated for the Nanjangod-Nilambur new line, Rs 400 crore was granted for Kannur-Mattannur new line under the head.
“Under the EBR head, no funding will be done by the railways from its current funds. The money should be raised by other resources like loans, a process which would consume much time. Many projects proposed to be financed under the EBR system in 2015-16 are yet to be taken up for want of funds,” said Mr Danny Thomas, former railway chief administrative officer.
“No expenditure can be booked unless the funds are specifically available (through other resources) against the work. EBR is not a part of the budget order which is the authority to book expenditure (allocate funds), reads a circular (No 2014-B-104) issued by the Railway Board.
Also, the state should chip in with half the project cost under the ‘EBR Partnership,’ while the railways would raise its share through other resources like bank loan, a senior railway officer said.
This, even as the state government is finding it tough to meet its share of project cost for committed projects like suburban railways. A paltry amount of Rs 1 crore was allocated in the recent state budget even as the project cost amounts to Rs 3,333 crore.
Meanwhile, the division could not properly utilise funds already allocated in the previous budget for projects like doubling. It could so far utilise only Rs 80 crore out of the Rs 500 crore allotted to it.
