Rail Budget Highlights 2014

Rail Budget Highlights 2014

The new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented its maiden budget
-- its first big policy statement on how it intends to overhaul an economy saddled
with slow growth and weak public finances.

Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda presented the
Rail Budget in the Parliament today. Here are some highlight -


* Indian railways to become the largest freight carrier in the world.

* Social obligation of Railways in 2013-14 was Rs 20,000 crore.

* Gross traffic receipts in 2013-14 was Rs 12,35,558 crore; operating ratio was 94 per cent.

* Focus in past has been on sanctioning projects rather than completing them, Railway minister says.

* Indian Railways spent Rs 41,000 crore on laying of 3,700 km of new lines in last 10 years.

* Fare revision will bring in Rs.8,000 crore; need another Rs.9,000 crore for golden quadrilateral project.

* Railways also proposes to set up Food Courts at major stations.

* Need to explore alternative sources of resource mobilisation and not depend on
 fare hike alone, Railway minister says.

* Spend 94 paisa of every rupee earned, leaving a surplus of only 6 paisa.

* With 12,500 trains, railways move 23 million passengers every day;
equivalent to moving Australia's population.

* Separate housekeeping wing at 50 major stations.

* CCTV to monitor cleanliness activities.

* Mechanized laundry will be introduced.