Highlights of Railway Budget 2014

Highlights of Railway Budget 2014

• Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom and I am grateful to PM Modi ji for having reposed his faith in me, says Sadananda Gowda
• Though I am a month old in the ministry, I am flooded with request for new trains, better services, new lines
• Indian Railways is the soul of the economy and our target is to become largest freight carrier in the world
• Indian railways carry only 31% of the total freight in the country. It is a challenge we have to face, says Rail Minister
• We need to balance social and commercial obligations and we ill start work on high speed network
• There had been focus on sanctioning projects rather than completing them
• There are 4 projects that are over 30 years old but have still not been completed
• Managing the Railways takes most of our resources. We spend 94% of our earnings, are left with just 6 per cent
• The medicine may act bitter in the beginning but will be a nectar in the end: Gowda
• Need Rs 50,000 cr every year for the next ten years for Railways
• Ministry of Railways is seeking cabinet approval for FDI in Railways, except Railway operations
• The fare revision was tough but necessary decision, it will bring Indian Railways an additional revenue of Rs 8000 crore
• Can get claps from this house by announcing new projects but that would be rendering injustice to the struggling organization
• Gross traffic receipts in 2013-14 was Rs 12,35,558 crore; operating ratio was 94 per cent
• Ministry of Railways is seeking cabinet approval for FDI in Railways, except Railway operations
• Need PPP Route to finance bulk of projects including high speed rail
• Need to have private-public partnership to improve condition of railways
• Through PPP route want to provide foot-over bridges, escalators and lifts across all stations
• Populist projects and mismanagement have brought Railways to point of funds crunch, says Rail Minister
• Indian Railways spent Rs 41,000 crore on laying of 3,700 km of new lines in last 10 years
• Surplus revenues declining. Hardly any resources for development work
• I propose to introduce pre cooked and ready to eat meals of reputed brands and want battery operated cars for senior citizens at railway stations: Gowda
• Propose to hike budgetary plan outlay to Rs.47,650 crore
• High priority areas - safety, cleanliness, passenger amenities and capacity augmentationr
• Large part of the budget outlay to go to safety projects
• Will introduce RO drinking water in trains and on stations
• Propose to outsource cleaning responsibility on 50 stations to specialist cleaning agencies
• CCTVs at stations will be used to monitor cleaning activities
• Severe action to be taken against vendors delivering unhygienic food, including cancellation of contracts
• Bio-toilets in trains to be increased to mitigate direct discharge of human waste on tracks and platform
• Severe action to be taken against vendors delivering unhygienic food, including cancellation of contracts
• Bio-toilets in trains to be increased to mitigate direct discharge of human waste on tracks and platform
• Ticket bookings through post offices and mobile phones will be popularized, also coin operated ticket machines
• Contemplating setting up of a railway university, both technical and non-technical courses
• I propose Bullet trains, Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector has been identified
• Efforts will be made to increase speed of trains to 160-200, on select sectors
• I propose retiring rooms on all stations: Sadananda Gowda
• Indian Railways to set up food courts at major railway stations
• Railways to scale down market borrowings to Rs 11,790 crore
• Allocated Rs 100 crore For High- Speed Rail Network
• To Have Diamond Quadrilateral Network for High-speed Trains
• 17,000 Railway Protection Force personnel to be available soon
• Introduction of women RPF constables, coaches meant for women to be escorted for greater safety
• To allot Rs 1,780 Crore to eliminate unmanned level crossings
• To have Digital Reservation Charts at stations
• Will provide summer internships to undergraduate students from engineering background
• E-procurement will be made compulsory for purchase of 25 lakh and more
• Recent fare and tariff hike to mop additional revenue of about Rs 8,000 crore, says Rail Minister
• Resource mobilisation through leveraging PSU resources, FDI and Public Private Participation
• Solar energy to be harnessed through PPP by utilizing rooftop spaces of stations and railway buildings
• Hospital Management Information System to integrate all railway health units and hospitals
• Ladies' coaches to be escorted by women RPF constables; additional care for ladies travelling alone
• 29 rail projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with Rs. 20,680 crores will be completed
• Bangalore to get suburban rails