GUWAHATI, Feb 26 - Stating that the Railway Budget had very little for Assam and the North East as a whole, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that all the major issues and demands raised by the State government remained unaddressed by the Union Railway Ministry.
Addressing media-persons here, Gogoi said that he had personally been taking up the grievances of the State and the North East with the Centre for several years, but apparently the region was yet again cold-shouldered by the Railway Budget.
�I have been calling for declaring the North East as a separate zone, as the interests of West Bengal and Bihar are being better served by the existing NF Railway. Assam and the rest of the North East have been a loser, especially in the matter of railway employment. Another major demand concerning setting up of a coach factory, too, was not accommodated in the Railway Budget, nor was there any new train,� he said.
Gogoi added that the North East was in urgent need of special long-distance express trains with limited stops outside the North East. �This is because most of the trains going out of the North East have lots of stoppages outside the region. We also need special safari expresses for tourists,� he said.
