My absence has not impacted functioning of Railways: Mamata

Under attack for her frequent absence from Delhi, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today insisted that it has not affected the functioning of her ministry whose performance was the best "in last 50 years".

New Delhi: Under attack for her frequent
absence from Delhi, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today
insisted that it has not affected the functioning of her
ministry whose performance was the best "in last 50 years".

Replying to a debate on supplementary demands for grants
in the Lok Sabha, she appealed to political parties not to
disrupt plying of trains as the bandhs have already caused
losses to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore.

"You can say that I don`t live in Delhi. You can say that
politically...what I have done, nobody has done in the last 50
years," she said.

Within a span of one year the railways came out with a
White Paper, Mission 2020, new recruitment policy and new
catering policy, she said, stressing all the promises made in
the budget would be fulfilled.

Banerjee has been under attack from various quarters for
frequently remaining in West Bengal in view of Assembly
elections next year. Her political opponents have even
labelled her as `Non-Resident` Railways Minister.

The Lower House later passed the supplementary demands
that sought to increase expenditure of railway by Rs 498 crore
including Rs 100 crore for the Commonwealth Games, over and
above what was sanctioned by Parliament in February.

-PTI

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