New Delhi, March 4
Trust Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to say anything at any time! Today, she stopped short of accusing the government of not lending her ministry enough financial muscle in the recent Budget announcements.

Just when Question Hour had rolled after several days of interruptions during the Budget Session, the Trinamool Congress chief hit out at Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for burdening her ministry with service tax. She was replying to a question on ongoing railway projects with MPs complaining about inordinate delays in execution of the same.

“A service tax amounting to Rs 6,000 crore has been levied on the rail ministry. We have to see how to implement the projects with this service tax. It is very difficult as we have decided to add 1,000 route kilometres. We should do something,” she said, pointing to Pranab, who was sitting in the House. In doing so, the TMC chief, in a way, bypassed the principle of collective responsibility of ministers.

She was, however, quick to make her point and return to the principal issue, saying she had decided to take up 114 railway projects in the current year. “We will take up these projects with the Planning Commission which did not approve some projects in the past.”