Tue Dec 24 14:23:41 UTC 2024: ## Karnataka MP Urges State to Relinquish Konkan Railway Shares
**Mangaluru, Dec 24, 2024** – Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta has called on the Karnataka government to relinquish its shares in the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL) in favor of the Indian Railways (IR). Chowta believes this is crucial for improving railway infrastructure along the coastal belt.
The MP’s statement follows Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s November 27th announcement to the Lok Sabha that the Ministry holds 65.97% of KRCL shares, with Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Goa holding the remaining shares. Only Goa has agreed to relinquish its stake. The Ministry has requested the state governments to either contribute to capital expenditure or cede their shares due to the need for significant infrastructure renewal.
While the Karnataka government has expressed support for merging KRCL with IR, it is awaiting a response from KRCL regarding the exit option. Chowta urged the state to show its commitment by relinquishing its shares.
In other matters, Chowta also pressed for the transfer of a 20km stretch of the Southern Railway in Mangaluru to the South Western Railway for logistical reasons, and for the state to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Union government to streamline the selection of beneficiaries for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 scheme.
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