New Delhi, May 22 (UNI) The Government today assured in the Rajya Sabha that it was not discriminatory while deciding on extension of the rail network to the north-east region of the country.

Responding to a Half-Hour Discussion in the House regarding the extension of rail lines in the north-eastern region, Minister of State for Railways R Velu assured member from Nagaland TR Zeliang that his state had not been discriminated against in the matter of sanctioning of a rail link between Dimapur and Imphal.

On the other hand, the Minister claimed, an alternate rail line now approved had proved to be lesser costly and involved seeking clearance from lesser number of agencies.

Earlier, Nagaland Peoples Front member Zeliang had complained that the only rail link approved for his state -- after forty years of relentless quest -- had been snatched away and Manipur connected to the country's vast rail network at Nagaland's cost.

Alleging discriminatory attitude of the Government, he observed that Bihar -- which had given the country two Rail Ministers lately like Messrs Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav -- had a vast network of rail lines while the north-east remained a comparative virgin rail territory.

UNI DG RL BD2033