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 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.
·
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.
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 12th
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.
·
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.
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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