Agartala / New Delhi, March 13 (TIWN): Tripura MP Jiten Chaudhury in Loksabha TV Debate on Railway Budget Discussion today said that this budget not at all peoples budget as Tripura and North East is highly neglected. Though Jiten appreciated the budget by saying “Railway minister is dreaming big, has made attractive promises and set very high targets”. But sarcastically added that “Because of his (Railway Minister) big dreams, I would like to call him a ‘romantic’ minister.”

He also said the Minister should instead strengthen its public sector character. In the Opening of the debate, Jiten  said: “He (Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu) has identified 11 major areas of action plan. I am appreciating these things. These are good things—ensuring cleanliness, strengthening security and safety measures, online catering, fast track ticketing, commuter-friendly initiatives like mobile phone charging facility. These are good steps, but  are not new things. The Railway Budgets presented by his predecessors also had the same mission”.

Slamming the government  he further  said: “It is anti-people and visionless. The people have been deceived. There is no roadmap in the rail budget for NE States like Tripura”. While praising Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for his intent in ensuring fiscal health of the country’s biggest public transporter, many members wondered if that can be done through the FDI and the PPP route ? In the Rail Budget for discussion, Prabhu should also explain how will generate income for various expenditures he has envisaged in the budget. Jiten also raised a question where will the money come from ? Why the Govt is borrowing money from outside ?  In answer he said ‘we have enough/immense resources of Fund for the modernization of Indian Railway”.

Jiten Chaudhury is the only MP from Northeast India who is usually invited into this kind important debates on National Lok Sabha TV.  

Even though Manik Sarkar packed off his most dynamic Industry Minister into oblivion in 2014 to Delhi with the sole intention of curbing Jiten’s rising popularity in Tripura,   but Jiten’s stint in Lok Sabha making him famous in national stage. It is worthy to mention that in less than a year in Lok Sabha, MP Jiten Chaudhury has become more famous nationally and a well known personality than CM Manik Sarkar.