Jaipur, Feb 4 (IANS): Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav for allocating Rs 9,960 crore for state railways, emphasising its role in modernisation, station redevelopment, and infrastructure expansion to enhance passenger facilities.

Sharma highlighted that strengthening the state's transport network is crucial to achieving the vision of a developed India and Rajasthan.

He noted that the current allocation is 14.5 times higher than the average annual railway budget the state received between 2009 and 2014, which stood at just Rs 682 crore.

"The Central and state governments are dedicated to strengthening Rajasthan's transport and traffic infrastructure to achieve the vision of a developed India and Rajasthan. As part of this effort, Rs 9,960 crore has been allocated to the state in the Central Railway Budget—14.5 times higher than the average annual allocation of Rs 682 crore received between 2009 and 2014," he added.

Earlier, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, addressing the announcement via video conferencing, underscored the substantial increase in the railway budget compared to the UPA era when Rajasthan received only Rs 666 crore.

He emphasised that the state, with a rail network larger than Denmark’s, is undergoing rapid development, including work on 85 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and the installation of the Kavach safety system in 10,000 locomotives.

The minister further stated that Rs 2.52 lakh crore has been allocated to Railways in the 2025 general budget, with the government committed to accelerating infrastructure development without financial constraints. The approach to railway budgeting has evolved, ensuring no project faces funding shortages.