Budget 2020: Himachal seeks Rs 1,400 cr infra fund at meet

Himachal Pradesh Industries Minister Bikram Singh on Wednesday asked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for Rs 1,400 crore financial outlay in the Budget for 2020-21 for construction of 58 roads declared as in-principle national highways.

Participating at the pre-budget consultation meeting, he also urged for creation of Rs 1,000 crore dedicated fund for four laning of Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh, Shimla-Mataur and Pathankot-Mandi national highways.

He also demanded to enhance annual outlay for ordinary repair and flood damage repair for national highways to Rs 100 crore for strengthening them.

The Industries Minister said roads were the only mode of transportation in the state due to limited air and rail connectivity and added that construction of ropeways as alternative mode of transportation may be included in the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for the hill states.

He also requested for financial and technical support for establishing one large airport of international standards, besides assistance for expansion of existing three airports in order to boost tourism in the state.

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He also demanded one-time financial support for execution of Bhanupali-Bilaspur and Chandigarh-Baddi rail lines besides declaring and executing Una-Hamirpur broad gauge rail lines and all other future rail lines as national projects, keeping in view the limited resource base of the state.