Indian Railways data shows poll-bound BJP ruled states saw highest rise in rail budget allocation

New Delhi: Three poll-bound BJP-ruled states – Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan – have seen the highest growth in allocations in rail Budget 2018-2019 as compared to the average outlay during 2009-2014 under UPA II regime, according to data provided by Railways on Tuesday. Allocations for states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan which are slated to go to polls later this year have risen by 906 percent, 1,173 percent and 567 percent respectively. In fact, Uttarakhand, which the BJP won by a landslide last year, is the only state to be in the same growth bracket with its allocation rising by 695 percent. The state, which is mostly hilly, has been allotted Rs 1,490 crore. [caption id=“attachment_4339425” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Youtube.[/caption] The figures from the transport behemoth highlight how most states have gained after the NDA came to power in 2014. Uttarakhand is followed by UP, another BJP ruled state which has seen a whopping 567 percent increase in allocation. Other BJP states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have also registered growth of over 400 percent each. Madhya Pradesh, which goes to polls later this year has been allocated Rs 6,359 crore, a jump of 906 percent as compared to average allocations during 2009-2014. The state’s outlay has gone up from Rs 566 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 1,490 crore this year. However, allocations for non-BJP states like West Bengal, Kerela and Delhi have registered much lesser growth since the BJP’s ascent into power. While West Bengal’s allocations have grown only by 24 percent, allocation for Kerela grew by 148 percent and Delhi’s allocation by 180 percent. Compared to last year, the allocations for West Bengal, Kerela and Delhi saw a dip by 14 percent, 23 percent and 40 percent respectively. Click here for full coverage of Union Budget 2018.