Highlights of Interim Railway Budget 2014-15
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About the Interim Rail Budget
The interim rail budget for the financial year of 2014-15 was presented by the Railway Minister of India Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lower House of the Parliament on 12 February 2014.
It has been estimated that Rs. 64,305 crore will be the amount for the Railways’ Annual Plan of 2014-15. It will include an Extra Budgetary Resource of Rs. 19,805 crore, Internal Resource of Rs. 10,418 crore, and Budgetary Support of Rs. 30,223 crore.
Key features of the Interim Rail Budget
The interim Railway Budget was largely welcomed across the country, although many felt that there should have been more.
The interim rail budget for the financial year of 2014-15 was presented by the Railway Minister of India Mallikarjun Kharge in the Lower House of the Parliament on 12 February 2014.
Key features of the Interim Rail Budget
- The budget has no changes to offer in terms of fare of trains.
- 72 new trains have been introduced. The new services include 38 express trains, 17 premium trains, 10 passenger trains, 3 diesel locomotive inter-city trains and 4 suburban trains.
- Two new express trains have been introduced – the Kamakhya-Chennai AC Express and the Malda Town-Anand Vihar Express.
- The railway line for a length of about 4,556 km has been covered in the electrification network, while the task of doubling the gauge for 1532 km has also been accomplished.
- Train services will be started for the Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.
- A wheel plant at Chhapra in Bihar, a diesel component factory at Dankuni in West Bengal, and a coach factory in Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh have been commissioned.
- In the Kashmir Valley, well-designed coaches have been inducted, which will be effective in adverse weather conditions.
- Lightweight wagons having resistance to corrosion have been developed. These can carry extra pay-load at 100 km/hr.
- A Passenger Information Display System has been installed to provide information about trains and stations.
- A policy will be developed to promote transportation of milk to different parts of the country.
- Level crossings are not unmanned anymore.
- A Train Collision Avoidance System has been installed.
- One lakh people have been employed in Group C categories while 1.6 lakh have been employed in Group D categories.
- A Vigilance Control Device has been provided in all trains.
- A confirmation message will be sent to the waitlisted passengers, informing them about the PNR status.
- Portable fire extinguishers in coaches, multi-tier protection for electric circuits, and induction-based cooking in pantry cars have been put in.
The interim Railway Budget was largely welcomed across the country, although many felt that there should have been more.
- The President of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Rana Kapoor said, “Industry has been expecting the rationalisation of railway freight policy apart from introducing capacities and improving the efficiency of rolling stock. The Annual Budget yet again gives another opportunity to reassess the achievements towards these goals.”
- The Secretary of West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee U. Saha said, “We appreciate the new trains. Though nothing big was expected in this budget proposal, we expected this budget to be with a bit more offerings for North Bengal.”
- The Chairman of Economic Times, CII North Bengal Chapter, P.K. Shah said, “We are happy with the new trains. But I would urge this railway ministry and the new one to come after election to keep other major issues of north Bengal also in its mind.”
