Railway Budget 2009, Railway Budget, NDTV, Railway Budget Highlights, Budget 2009, Railway Budget 2009 Highlights
Railway Budget 2009, Railway Budget, NDTV, Railway Budget Highlights, Budget 2009, Railway Budget 2009 Highlights – Railway minister Mamata Banerjee presented the railway budget 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha today. In what is seen as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s return gift to the people, who gave it a second straight term in office, the railway budget 2009-10 today left passenger fares and freight rates untouched.
Railway Budget Highlights
* Passenger rates and freight rates remain unchanged
* ‘Izzat’ Scheme : Fare of Rs 25 for travel up to 100 km for poor
* ‘Izzat’ Scheme for those earning upto Rs 1500/month
* To set up panel on financing of unviable rail projects
* To develop 50 world class stations via PPP
* Priority is to focus on passenger safety, security
* Economic viability of projects is not the key concern
* To set up multi-functional complexes at 50 stations
* Automatic train information systems in major cities
* Infotainment services on long distance trains
* To cover 200 new locations under reservation services
* Automatic vending machines at 200 large stations
* E-ticketing to be enhanced, simplified
* To set up 1000 MW power plant in alliance with NTPC
* To set up new coach unit with 500 coaches/yr via PPP mode
* Railways loaded 833 mt cargo in FY’09
* To use railway land bank for industrial purpose
* To put railway land to use along rail corridor
* To put railway land bank to productive use
* Railways will set up cold storages cargoes
* To encourage private operation of freight terminals
* Govt has approved extension of eastern corridor up to Dankuni
* To acquire 18,000 wagons in FY’10 vs 11000 wagons in FY’09
* To form expert committee for optic fibre cable network
* To encourage cold storage facilities for farmers
* To start premium service for container movement
* Indian railways to take over wagon units of 2 state cos
* Indian railways to take over burn standard, braithwaite
* Railway recruitment policy to be reviewed
* To set up medical colleges at rail hospitals via PPP
* To open nursing schools, hospitals on rail land via PPP
* Integrated security scheme for 140 vulnerable railway stations
* Can buy computerised tickets from 5000 post offices
* Delhi Mumbai freight corridor to be executed through public private partnership
* Railways to set up cold storages for cargo
* Freight traffic target at 882 mt for FY’10
* Railways loaded 833 mt cargo in FY’09
* 50% concession for accredited journalists, spouse
* To introduce no stop train services between select cities
* New point to point train services to be announced
* Yuva trains at Rs 299 for distance up to rs 1500 km.
