Indian Railway Budget 2013-14 Highlights

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has announced the Union Railway Budget for 2013-14 in Parliament. Here are the highlights of Indian Railway Budget 2013-14 :

Gross Traffic Receipts of Indian Railways (Estimate)

• Passenger Receipts from Upper Class – Rs.10,105 Crore
• Passenger Receipts from Second Class – Rs.32,104 Crore
• Total passenger earnings – Rs.42,210 Crore
• Goods Earnings – Rs.93,554 Crore
• Gross Total = Rs. 1.43 Lakh Crore

Total Revenue of the Central Government From Railways =Rs.1.46 Lakh Crore

Expenditure of Railways met from Revenue of Central Government

• Total Railway Expenditure – 1.33 Lakh Crore

Excess for Indian Railways = 1.46 Lakh Crore – 1.33 Lakh Crore = 13,000 Crore

Distribution of Railways’ Excess of Receipts over Expenditure

• Appropriation to Railway Development Fund
  
• Appropriation to Capital Fund – Railways
• Appropriation to Railway Liability Reserve Fund

NB : Indian Railways has received a general budgetary support of Rs 26,000 crore, a Rs 2,000 crore increase compared to the 2012-13 budgetary allocation. It should also be noted that though the current railway budget shows an excess of Rs.13,000 Crore, the total loss of Indian Railways now stands at Rs.22,500 crore.

Indian Railway Budget 2013-14 Highlights

1. 67 new Express trains to be introduced
2. 26 new passenger services, 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services to be introduced
3. Run of 57 trains to be extended
4. Frequency of 24 trains to be increased
5. First AC EMU rake to be introduced on Mumbai suburban network in 2013-14
6. 72 additional services to be introduced in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata
7. Rake length increased from 9 cars to 12 cars for 80 services in Kolkata and 30 services in Chennai
8. 500 km new lines, 750 km doubling, 450 km gauge conversion targeted in 2013-14
9. First ever rail link to connect Arunachal Pradesh
10. Some Railway related activities to come under MGNREGA
11. For the first time 347 ongoing projects identified as priority projects with the committed funding
12. Highest ever plan outlay of Rs. 63,363 crore
13. Loan of Rs. 3000 crore repaid fully.
14. A new fund-Debt Service Fund set up to meet committed liabilities.
15. Freight loading of 1047 MT, 40 MT more than 2012-13
16. Passenger growth 5.2% in 2013-14
17. Gross Traffic Receipts – Rs. 1,43,742 crore i.e. an increase of 18,062 crore over RE, 2012-13
18. Dividend payment estimated at Rs. 6,249 crore
19. Operating Ratio to be 87.8% in 2013-14
20. Supplementary charges for super fast trains, reservation fee, clerkage charge, cancellation charge and tatkal charge marginally increased
21. Fuel Adjustment Component linked revision for freight tariff to be implemented from 1st April 2013
22. Enhanced reservation fee abolished
23. Elimination of 10797 Level Crossings (LC) during the 12thPlan and no addition of new LCs henceforth
24. Introduction of 160/200 kmph Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains
25. ‘Aadhar’ to be used for various passenger and staff related services
26. Internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours
27. E-ticketing through mobile phones
28. Project of SMS alerts to passengers providing updates on reservation status
29. 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
30. Introduction of executive lounge at 7 more stations: Bilaspur, Visakhapatnam, Patna, Nagpur, Agra, Jaipur and Bengaluru
31. Introduction of ‘Azadi Express’ to connect places associated with freedom movement
32. Four companies of women RPF personnel set up and another 8 to be set up to strengthen the security of rain passengers, especially women passengers
33. 10% RPF vacancies being reserved for women
34. 1.52 lakh vacancies being filled up this year out of which 47000 vacancies have been earmarked for weaker sections and physically challenged
35. Railways to impart skills to the youth in railway related trades in 25 locations
36. Provision of portable fire extinguishers in Guard-cum-Brake Vans, AC Coaches and Pantry Cars in all trains
37. 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
38. Provision of announcement facility and electronic display boards in trains
39. Providing free Wi-Fi facilities on several trains
40. Upgrading 60 stations as Adarsh Stations in addition to 980 already selected
41. Introduction of an ‘Anubhuti’ coach in select trains to provide excellent ambience and latest facilities and services
42. 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A-1 and other major stations to be installed facilitating elderly and differently-abled
43. 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
44. Centralized Catering Services Monitoring Cell set up with a toll free number (1800 111 321)
45. Complimentary card passes to recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna & Dhyan Chand Awards to be valid for travel by 1stClass/2nd AC
46. Complimentary card passes to Olympic Medalists and Dronacharya Awardees for travel in Rajdhani/Shatabadi Trains
47. Travel by Duronoto Trains permitted on all card passes issued to sportspersons having facility of travel by Rajdhani/Shatabadi Trains
48. 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 policy medal for Gallantry
49. Policy Gallantry awardees to be granted one complimentary pass every year for travel along with one companion in 2nd AC in Rajdhani/Shatabadi Trains
50. Passes for freedom fighters to be renewed once in three years instead of every year.
51. Setting up of six more Rail Neer bottling plants at Vijayawada, Nagpur, Lalitpur, Bilaspur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad
52. Setting up of a multi-disciplinary training institute at Nagpur for training in rail related electronics technologies
53. Setting up of a centralized training institute at Secunderabad–Indian Railways Institute of Financial Management
54. Five fellowships in national universities to be instituted to motivate students to study and undertake research on Railway related issues at M.Phil and Ph.D. levels
55. Fund allocation for staff quarters enhanced to Rs. 300 crore
56. Provision of hostel facilities for single women railway employees at all divisional headquarters
57. Provision of water closets and air conditioners in the locomotive cabs to avoid stress being faced by loco pilots