Union 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 and freight rates left unchanged across the board.
- Railways earn net revenue of Rs8,121 crore in 2008-09.
- Railways to pay higher dividend of Rs5,479 crore to the Centre in FY 2010.
- Tatkal charges reduced from Rs150 to Rs100.
- Ladies' specials on suburban train routes during peak hours.
- 'Izzat' monthly tickets of Rs25 (for up to 100 km travel) for people from the unorganised sector with an income of less than Rs1,500 per month.
- New coach factory at Kanchrapara in West Bengal.
- Cold storage facilities for farmers to store vegetables and fruits.
- Talks to take over ailing wagon manufacturing units.
- 18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year.
- Railway medical colleges and rail hospitals on public-private partnership basis.
- Student concession will cover madrassa students.
- Special coaches for disabled and aged people.
- 50 stations to be developed along world-class standards.
- 375 stations to be upgraded as 'Adarsh' stations, with basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets and ladies' dormitories.
- Availability of doctors on-board long-distance trains.
- On-board infotainment services to be provided.
- 6,560 staff quarters to be constructed in 2009-10.
- High-capacity double-decker A/C trains to be introduced.
- 57 new trains to be introduced.
- 12 non-stop trains to be introduced.
- Accredited journalists to get 50% rebate; also once a year with spouse.
- 1,000 MW power plant proposed in tribal area Adra.
- Cash surplus of Rs17,400 crore before dividend.
- Railways have investible surplus of Rs12,681 crore.
- Annual plan expenditure pegged at Rs36,336 crore.
