Union Minister sets 2020 deadline for railways
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 07 2016: After Union Minister of State (Railways) Rajen Gohain declared that the Tupul-Imphal section of Jiribam-Imphal railway project is set for completion by December 2019, Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation DV Sadananda Gowda has stated that the railway project would be completed and commissioned in 2020 .

Sadananda Gowda who arrived here today on an official visit to the State held a press conference in the Secretariat conference hall.

He stated that the railway project was set for completion by March 2020 but the entire project would be completed three months ahead of the target.

The project including construction of tunnels has made rapid progress.

Union Minister sets 2020 deadline for railways

The estimated cost of the project was Rs 627 crore when it was initiated.

Now Rs 9658 crore has been earmarked for the same project.

Construction of IOC's rail-fed depot at Malom is also on the verge of completion, the Union Minister stated.

Construction of National Institute of Technology (NIT) would be completed by 2030 and the institute would have at least 2700 students within its campus by that time.

The first phase of the NIT project would be completed in 2020 .

Ahead of the press conference, Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation DV Sadananda Gowda held a meeting with the three MPs of Manipur��Dr Th Meinya, Thangso Baite and MC Mary Kom, senior officers of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, CPWD, Railways and senior officials of the State Government.

The meeting discussed about the railway project, NIT project, oil depot project, Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS) and the MP Local Area Development Scheme.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation would be providing Rs 20 crore to the State Government for improving statistical system and infrastructure in the State.

So far, Rs 15 crore has been released.

Under the programme Support for Statistical Strengthening (SSS), administrative block of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, auditorium and guest house have been constructed.

He further exuded confidence that the directorate can publish correct statistical data successfully.

The Sub-Regional Office of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) which is a wing of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation would be upgraded as a full fledged regional office.

For this, the Ministry has sanctioned Rs 6.04 crore.

Talking about MPLADS, Sadananda Gowda informed that the Central Government has sanctioned Rs 32.50 crore to the MPs of Manipur for taking up different development programmes.