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To be plain with you, Sir, I am given to understand that while making the broad gauge conversions throughout the length and breadth of the country, nearly 80 per cent has been done in the northern parts of the country and not even 30 per cent has been done in and around Tamil Nadu. So, there has been a total neglect of Tamil Nadu in the process of broad gauge conversion.

On this occasion I am reminded of what a prudent mother can afford to do with her children. When she has got several children and one happens to be sick and infirm, in such a situation, the prudent mother is able to give more milk and more nutrient diet to that child so that he or she can afford to come up and grow along with the other children. Citing the same analogy, what I am trying to convince the hon. Minister of Railways is that when 80 per cent of broad gauge conversion has been done in other parts of the country, only 30 per cent has been done in Tamil Nadu , we need a special care and we need a special priority and a timeframe for Tamil Nadu in Broad Gauge Conversion..

If you want to see the expenditure, for Nowpara-Guntur line in 2000-2001, Rs.5.10 crore was allotted in the Budget.

Immediately after that, the Railway Minister wrote a letter to the South Eastern Railway not to spend anything from that Rs.5.10 crore. I hope the Minister would reply to this point. He had told not to spend from it. On enquiring the reasons for it, I came to know that it had not got the clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). In the next year, the amount was only Rs.10 lakhs and so, there was no progress in work. This year, 2002-03, Shri Nitish Kumar has allotted Rs.10 crore for that particular gauge conversion. It is very good that he has provided Rs.10 crore. But we want to know whether this particular gauge conversion has got the clearance from the CCEA or it will have the fate of 2001-02. That is the most important point. These two lines need to be converted into broad gauge because it passes through firstly the tribal areas and secondly the mineral rich areas. Thirdly, the most important point is, if it will be connected from Naupada to Gunupur and Gunupur to Raigara, the whole length going via Andhra Pradesh will be saved.

In the end I again emphasise upon the need of ensuring punctual running of the trains and also the need to take up the works pointed out by me at the earliest.

SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA (KOLAR): Sir, I am grateful to you for giving me this opportunity. The hon. Minister of Railways has put the Demands for Grants (Railways) before the House. We do hope that the Railway Minister will do something more for the development of Railways. Funds constraint is there every year, but he must give a new thrust to the Railways to complete the on-going projects to fulfil the aspirations of the people and the Members of Parliament representing the constituencies concerned. All the time, the Members of Parliament are requesting for some new scheme or something, but it will not serve the purpose of the Members of Parliament of that area in particular, and the development of Railways in general. I would like to say that we are all with you on this issue. You have to find out a solution to take up gauge conversion work throughout the country. The gauge conversion work has come to a standstill. You are saying that you will take up 250 kilometres of gauge conversion work this year. I would like to know how many kilometres of metre-gauge line are being converted into broad-gauge and how many kilometres of narrow-gauge line are being converted into broad-gauge line. All the lines have to be converted into broad-gauge lines because then only it will be more useful for the country as a whole. The hon. Railway Minister is very much concerned about this, and I know that he will not give any false promise to the Members of Parliament. However, my sincere and humble request to him is that he has to find out a solution to this particular issue.

I would like to mention one thing about gauge conversion. Coming to Yelahanka-Bangarapet gauge conversion, on a stretch of 70 kilometres, an amount of Rs. 50 crore has already been spent, but it will not serve the purpose if you do not complete the remaining part of the gauge conversion, which is another 47 kilometres. You have already completed the gauge conversion work on 77 kilometres, and you may kindly complete the gauge conversion work on the remaining part also. I told the hon. Railway Minister to write to the Government of Karnataka to find out a via media, that is, whether they could contribute one-third or half of the amount. On our part, we have requested the hon. Chief Minister of Karnataka. They are waiting for the Government of India to give some direction. The hon. Railway Minister assured me that he would write to the Government of Karnataka to find out a solution, but till today nothing has come out. This is one of the long pending schemes, and I would request you to do something about it.