Reformist and forward looking budget: PM Dr Singh

February 26, 2013

• Indian Railways to join 1 billion tonne select club with China.
• Educational tourist train”Azadi Express” proposes
• Eight more companies of women RPF personnel to be set up.
• Several measures taken to deal with fire accidents.
• 17 distressed bridges sanctioned for rehabilitation to be completed over the next year.
• Train Collision Avoidance System to be put to rigorous trials.
• Railways will strive to work towards zero accident situation.
• Rail Minister calls for paradigm shift in approach to tariff and non-tariff segments of earnings.
• Passenger earning target Rs 32500 crore this year.
• Freedom fighters to renew their passes only once in 3 yrs.
• Complementary passes for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Olympic awardees.
• Coach making facilities at Bhilwara and Raebarelli.
• Indian Railway Financial Management Institute to be set up at Secunderabad.
• Coaches to be made wheelchair friendly.
• Hostel facilities for all single women railway employees at all Div.HQS.
• Free wi-fi facility at select trains.
• Exclusive lounges at 7 stations.
• 1800111321 number for redressing complaints.
• Wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi in Odisha.
• E-ticketing to be made available through mobile phone.
• 104 Stations identified for added amenities.
• Target of investment of 1 lakh crore through PPP mode in 12th FYP.
• For the first time, Arunachal Pradesh brought under  Rail Network.
• UID-Aadhar to be used for ticket reservation.
• Need based border connectivity top priority.
• Freight loading estimated to be 1007 tonnes this year.
• No hike in passenger fares; 67 new express and 26 passenger trains to be launched.
• Next generation E-ticketing introduced to be able to book 7000 tickets in a minute.
• Gross traffic receipts to be 18062 crore rupees over 2012-13.
• Thrust on using renewable sources of energy.
• Some Railway related activities included under MGNREGA.
• Railways to fill up 1.52 lakh vacancies.
• Dronacharya awardees to get Shatabdi and Rajdhani passes.
• 47000 vacancies reserved for differently abled to be filled.
• Plan to spend 3000 crore rupees to connect mines.
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Rail budget remarkable and commendable, says P Chidambaram.
Railways is committed to ensure security, safety and better passengers facilities including sanitation in trains and railway stations. Minister of Railways Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal has said that to strengthen the security of rail passengers, especially women passengers, Railways have already created four companies of women RPF personnel and another eight would be set up. Presenting the Railway Budget for 2013-14 in Parliament today he said, recruitment to RPF is being conducted with 10% vacancies reserved for women. He said, the presence of women RPF personnel will be further strengthened with the field units.
The Minister said, many trains are being escorted by Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force in sensitive sections. Further, the Ladies Special local trains in Metropolitan Cities are being escorted by lady RPF Staff. Shri Bansal said, security helpline numbers have been made available on several zonal railways to facilitate passengers in reporting any untoward incidence for immediate intervention.

Rs one lakh crore to be raised from public-private partnership, Rs 1.05 lakh crore through internal resources in the 12th Plan; Elimination of 10,700 unmanned level crossings targeted during the Plan; no more new such crossings to be created.Briefing media Prashar exclusively, Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said, during the last four months, efforts have been stepped up to ensure better upkeep of the Railway network and maximize passenger convenience.Bansal said, work on installing bio-tiolets in railway coaches is on.The Railway Minister added that people’s aspirations and demands regarding safe, convenient and secure traveling on trains, are genuine.He said, the Ministry is well aware of what is expected from it and it is diligently working to deliver better services.Railways to set up six more Rail Neer bottling plants.

Identification of 104 stations for upgradation in places with more than one million population and of religious significance.Corporate Safety Plan to be prepared for ten-year period 2014-24.

BSE Sensex dropped by 134 points to 19197 in the late morning trade due to selling pressure ahead of the railway budget amid weak global cues as the Early results in Italy polls show hung parliament thus euro crisis to prevail.   Earlier, the Sensex resumed lower at 19,290 and dropped further to 19,186, showing a loss of 109.53 points from its last close.
The Nifty also moved down by 43 points to 5,811