Railway Budget :-Highlights

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RAILWAY BUDGET - 2013-14

Thrust

1. Safety; 2. Consolidation; 3. Passenger Amenities; 4. Fiscal Discipline.

Some Achievements/Initiatives

• IR enters the one billion tonne Select Club joining Chinese, Russian and US Railways;
• IR also joins Select Club running freight trains of more than 10000 tonne load;
• ‘Fuel Adjustment Component’ concept to be implemented linking tariffs with movement of fuel prices;
• Target of Rs 1000 crore each fixed for Rail Land Development Authority and IR Station Development Corporation to be raised through PPP in 2013-14;
• New fund – Debt Service Fund – to be set up to meet committed liabilities of debt servicing for WB and JICA loans for DFC and other future liabilities.

Measures for improving Safety & Security

•  Making a Corporate Safety Plan for a ten year period (2014-2024).
• Elimination of 10797 level crossings during the 12th Plan and no addition of new LCs to the IR system henceforth.
• Introduction of Train Protection Warning System on Automatic Signalling Systems.
• Rigorous trials of the indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System.
• Using 60 kg rails, 260 meter long welded rail panels and improved flash butt welding technology.
•  Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains.
•  Induction of crash worthy LHB coaches with anti-climb feature.
• Rehabilitation of identified 17 distressed bridges over next one year.
• Provision of comprehensive fire and smoke detection systems.
• Provision of portable fire extinguishers in Guard-cum-Brake Vans, AC Coaches and Pantry Cars in all trains.
• Use of fire retardant furnishing materials in coaches.
• Measures initiated to deal with elephant related accidents.
• Four companies of women RPF personnel set up and another 8 to be set up to strengthen the security of rail passengers, especially women  2 passengers.
• Recruitment to RPF with 10% vacancies reserved for women.

Rail Based Industries

New factories/workshops to be set up:

• a new Forged Wheel Factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited.
• a Greenfield Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMU) manufacturing facility at Bhilwara (Rajasthan) in collaboration with State Government and BHEL.
•  a Coach Manufacturing Unit in Sonepat District (Haryana) in collaboration with State Government.
• a Midlife Rehabilitation Workshop at Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) in collaboration with the State Government.
• Bikaner and Pratapgarh workshops to undertake POH of BG wagons.
•  a workshop for repair and rehabilitation of motorized bogies at Misrod (Madhya Pradesh).
•  a new wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi (Odisha).
•  a modern signaling equipment facility at Chandigarh through PPP route

Green Initiatives

• Setting up of Railway Energy Management Company (REMC) to harness potential of solar and wind energy.
• Setting up of 75 MW capacity windmill plants and energizing 1000 level crossings with solar power.
• Deployment of new generation energy efficient electric locomotives and EMUs.
•  More usage of agro-based and recycled paper and ban use of plastic in catering.

Passenger/Rail Users’ Amenities

•  Identification of 104 important stations for immediate attention to all
• aspects related to cleanliness.
• Progressive extension of bio-toilets on trains.
• Provision of concrete aprons on platforms with mechanized cleaning  3 facilities.
• Extension of On Board Housekeeping Scheme and Clean Train Stations to more stations and trains.
• Extension of Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS), Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), Coin-operated Ticket Vending Machines (CO-TVMs) and schme of Jan-Sadharan Ticket Booking Sevaks (JTBSs).
• Setting up of six more Rail Neer bottling plants at Vijayawada, Nagpur, Lalitpur, Bilaspur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad.
• Pilot project on select trains to facilitate passengers to contact on board  staff through SMS/phone call/e-mail for coach cleanliness and real time feedback.
• 8-10 more mechanized laundries for quality washing of linen.
• Provision of announcement facility and electronic display boards in trains.
• Providing free Wi-Fi facilities on several trains.
• Upgrading another 60 stations as Adarsh Stations in addition to 980 already selected.
• Associate voluntary organizations for providing first aid services at railway stations.
• Introduction of an ‘Anubhuti’ coach in select trains to provide excellent ambience and latest facilities and services.
• 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A-1 and other major stations to be installed facilitating elderly and differently abled.
• Affixing Braille stickers with layout of coaches including toilets, provision of wheel chairs and battery operated vehicles at more stations and making coaches wheel-chair friendly.
• Some JTBS to be reserved for disabled people.
• Curbing malpractices in reserved tickets including tatkal scheme.
• Third party audit and tie up with food testing laboratories for food quality control; ISO certified state-of-the-art base kitchens to be set up in railway premises.
• Centralized Catering Services Monitoring Cell set up with a toll free number (1800 111 321)

Rail Tourism

• Launching multi-modal travel package in cooperation with Jammu & Kashmir state government.
•  Issuing ‘Yatra Parchis’ to pilgrims travelling by rail to Mata Vaishno  Devi Shrine at the time of railway ticket booking.  4
• Introduction of an educational tourist train with concessional fares - ‘Azadi Express’ – to connect places associated with freedom movement.
• Introduction of executive lounge at 7 more stations, namely, Bilaspur,
• Visakhapatnam, Patna, Nagpur, Agra, Jaipur and Bengaluru.

IT Initiatives

• Aadhar’ to be used for various passenger and staff related services.
•   Internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours.
•  e-ticketing through mobile phones.
•  Project of SMS alerts to passengers providing updates on reservation status.
• Covering larger number of trains under Real Time Information System.
• Next-Gen e-ticketing system to be rolled out capable of handling 7200 tickets per minute against 2000 now & 1.20 lakh users simultaneously against 40,000 now.

Financial Performance 2012-13

•  Loading target revised to 1007 MT against 1025 MT in BE.
• Gross Traffic Receipts fixed at `1,25,680 cr in RE, short by `6,872 cr over Budget Estimates.
• Ordinary Working Expenses retained at BE level of `84,400 cr; pension payments increased by `1,500 cr to `20,000 cr.
• Dividend liability to government to be fully discharged.
• Excess’ of `10,409 cr as against the budget amount of `15,557 cr.
• Loan of `3,000 cr taken in 2011-12 fully repaid along with interest.
• Operating Ratio of 88.8% as compared to 94.9% in 2011-12.

Budget Estimates 2013-14

• Freight loading of 1047 MT, 40 MT more than 2012-13.
• Passenger growth - 5.2%.
• Gross Traffic Receipts - `1,43,742 cr i.e. an increase of 18,062 cr over RE, 2012-13.
• Ordinary Working Expenses - `96,500 cr.
• Appropriation to DRF at `7,500 cr and to Pension Fund at `22,000 cr.
• Dividend payment estimated at `6,249 cr.
• Operating Ratio to be 87.8%.
• Fund Balances to exceed `12,000 cr.  5

Annual Plan 2013-14

•  Highest ever plan outlay of `63363 cr.
•  Gross Budgetary Support - `26,000 cr
• Railway Safety Fund - `2,000 cr
•  Internal Resources - `14,260 cr.
• EBR - Market Borrowing - `15,103 cr;
•  EBR - PPP - `6,000 cr.
• 500 km new lines, 750 km doubling, 450 km gauge conversion targeted  in 2013-14.

Fiscal Discipline

•  No supplementary Demands for Grants introduced in Monsoon Session or Winter Session of Parliament;
•  Loan of `3,000 cr repaid fully;
•  347 projects prioritized with assured funding;
•  Operationally important projects and also last mile projects to receive liberal funding;
•  A new fund – Debt Service Fund – set up to meet committed liabilities;
• Stringent targets for efficiencies in maintenance of rolling stock and fuel consumption;
•  Target to create fund balance of `30,000 cr in the terminal year of the 12^th Plan.

Staff Welfare

•  Fund allocation for staff quarters enhanced to Rs 300 cr.
• Provision of hostel facilities for single women railway employees at all divisional headquarters.
• Extending treatment facility in case of medical emergency to RELHS beneficiaries to all cities in hospitals empanelled with CGHS and Railways.
•  Condition of barracks to be improved for RPF personnel.
• Provision of water closets and air conditioners in the locomotive cabs to avoid stress being faced by loco pilots.

Training and Recruitment

• 1.52 lakh vacancies being filled up this year out of which 47000 vacancies have been earmarked for weaker sections and physically challenged.
•  Imparting skills to the youth in railway related trades in 25 locations.  6
• Setting up of a multi-disciplinary training institute at Nagpur for training in rail related electronics technologies.
• Setting up of a centralized training institute at Secunderabad – Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM).
• Five fellowships in national universities to be instituted to motivate students to study and undertake research on IR related issues at M.Phil and Ph.D. levels.
• Setting up of a chair at TERI promoting railway related research to reduce carbon footprint.

Sports

•  Railway Teams won 9 National Championships in 2012.
• Railway Sports Promotion Board awarded the ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar – 2012’.

Concessions

• Complimentary card passes to recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna & Dhyan Chand Awards to be valid for travel by 1st Class/2nd AC.
• Complimentary card passes to Olympic Medalists and Dronacharya Awardees for travel in Rajdhani/Shatabadi Trains.
• Travel by Duronto Trains permitted on all card passes issued to sportpersons having facility of travel by Rajdhani/Shatabadi Trains.
• Facility of complimentary card passes valid in 1st class/2nd AC extended to parents of posthumous unmarried awardees of Mahavir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, President’s Police Medal for Gallantry and Police Medal for Gallantry.
• Police Gallantry awardees to be granted one complimentary pass every  year for travel along with one companion in 2nd AC in Rajdhani/Shatabadi Trains.
• Passes for freedom fighters to be renewed once in three years.

Trains

• 67 new Express trains to be introduced.
• 26 new passenger services, 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introduced.
• Run of 57 trains to be extended.
• Frequency of 24 trains to be increased.  7

Metropolitan Projects/Sub-urban Services

•  Introduction of first AC EMU rake on Mumbai suburban network in 2013-14.
• Introduction of 72 additional services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata.
• Rake length increased from 9 cars to 12 cars for 80 services in Kolkata and 30 services in Chennai.

Tariff Proposals

• Proposal for setting up of Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority formulated and at inter-ministerial consultation stage.
• Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) linked revision for freight tariff to be implemented from 1st April 2013.
• Supplementary charges for super fast trains, reservation fee, clerkage charge, cancellation charge and tatkal charge marginally increased.
• Enhanced reservation fee abolished.

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