Highlights of Railway Budget 2011-12

As everyone knows that the Railway Budget 2011-12 has been announced on Friday 25-02-2011  by Railway Minister  Mamata Banerjee.  Highlights relating to Railway Budget 2011-12 are given as under:-

1. No Increase  in passengers freight.
2. 56 new trains introduced including Nine non-stop Duronto trains and Three Shatabdis.
3. Senior Citizen Age of women reduced from 60 to 58 years for concessional rate in Railway Ticket fare.
4. Now, 40% fare concession  will be given to Male Passengers having age above 60 Years.  Earlier this per cent was 30%
5. 16000 ex-servicemen will be proposed to induct in the Railways by March.
6. Concession for physically has also been extended- challenged persons and Kirti and Shaurya Chakra awardees to travel in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains, besides extending facility of card passes to parents of unmarried posthumous Paramvir Chakra and Ashok Chakra gallantry award winners.
7. The budget proposes the highest-ever plan outlay of Rs 57,630 crore for 2011-12. The gross budgetary support has been projected at Rs 20,000 crore, diesel cess Rs 1,041 crore, internal resources Rs 14,219 crore and market borrowing at Rs 20,954 crore.
8. The budget estimates for 2011-12 projects a freight loading of 993 million tonnes and a passenger growth of 6.4 per cent.
9. Gross traffic receipts has been estimated at Rs 1,06,239 crore, exceeding the Rs one lakh crore mark for the first time, despite pressure on finances on account of Pay Commission payout.
10. Ordinary working expenses have been assessed at Rs 73,650 crore and appropriation to depreciation reserve fund pegged at Rs 7,000 crore.
11. Provision of Rs 6,735 crore has been made for dividend payment and the excess for Railways for the new fiscal has been projected at Rs 5,258 crore, with an operating ratio of 98.1 per cent. (More) PTI
12. Apparently with an eye on the coming assembly polls in West Bengal, where Railway Minister  Mamata Banerjee is projected as the Chief Minister candidate of Congress-Trinamool combine, she came out with a number of projects for the state, including a metro coach factory in Singur, Rail Industrial Park in Jelligham, an integrated suburban network for Kolkata and 34 new services for the Kolkata metro.