Railway Budget

2009-07-02T23:26:00.000-07:00

Mamata set to present 'pro-people' budget

Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will present a "pro-people" budget on Friday.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Mamata said, “It will be a pro-people budget, a simple budget, people''s budget.”

She said that she only had 15 days to work on it, as the concerned officials were busy preparing it.

Nominal passenger fare revision, incentives on freight transport, enhanced funding for security and seasonal passes for vendors at Rs 20 are likely to be the highlights of the budget.

More trains like Garib Raths are expected to be announced.

Announcement of more rail overbridges and rail underbridges at unmanned level crossings to curb accidents may also find a mention in the budget.

Introduction of integrated security system at major stations to strengthen security might also be announced.

The world's second-fastest growing major economy is on a drive to improve its creaky infrastructure and boost rail connectivity between industrial hubs and major ports.

Railway Budget 2009

2009-07-02T23:23:00.000-07:00

Speech of Shri Lalu Prasad introducing the Railway Budget 2009-10 on 13th February 2009

1. Mr. Speaker, Sir I rise to place before the House, the Revised Estimates for 2008-09 and the estimated receipts and expenditure for 2009-10
Train tabloid
for the Indian Railways. The estimates for 2009-10 are for the whole year, but, at present I seek from the august House, a vote on account, sufficient to cover the estimated expenditure for the first four months of the fiscal. The requirements for the remaining part of the year are to be voted separately, later on.

2. Speaker sir,

Shukriya se main shuroo karta hoon apni bat aaj,
Sath lekar main chala hoon desh, duniya aur samaj,
Main chukata he rahoonga desh ki mitti ka karj,
Rashtra sewa reet meri aur yahi mera rivaj.

3. I have great pride that, in its journey of service to the nation, the Indian Railways have reached an important milestone. Being an integral part of this journey for the last five years, I can proudly say that Indian Railways scaled a new pinnacle every year and now stand at the zenith of success from where, without imposing any burden on the common man, the railways are set to establish the historic landmark of earning a cash surplus before dividend of more than Rs 90,000 cr, in five years. The same Railways which faced a paucity of funds for replacement of over aged assets in 2001 and which had to defer payment of Rs. 2,800 cr as dividend to General Revenues, have now surprised the whole world with a historic financial turnaround. Sir, the year 2008 witnessed a financial turmoil and worldwide recession making it difficult for even Fortune 500 companies to raise debt from the international markets. This august House would be pleasantly surprised to know, that even in such adverse times, the Indian Railway Finance Corporation, in November 2008, has successfully raised a 10 cr dollar loan, equivalent to Rs 500 cr, at a rate of only 4 percent, from the international market.

4. Sir, the transformation of the Railways is fundamentally different from the financial turnaround witnessed in private sector companies. While private companies resort to anti-people measures like increase in prices, retrenchment of employees and lockouts, Railways have kept the human aspect as the central focus and achieved an extraordinary feat without putting any extra burden on the common man or the employees. In the last five years the Railways have stepped up the annual growth rate of freight loading from an average of 3 percent during the decade of 90’s to an average of 8 percent. The declining trend of railways share in transportation of steel and cement, witnessed during the past several years has also been arrested as the Railways increased their share in transportation of these commodities, over the last five years. This transformation has been possible through the significant improvement in productivity of railway assets and efficient working by railway employees.

Sir,

Karigari ka aisa tareeka bata diya,
Ghate ka job hi daur tha beeta bana diya,
Bharat ki rail vishwa me is tarah ki buland,
Hathi ko chust kar diya cheeta bana diya.

Railway Budget 2009 | Railway Budget

Railway Budget

Mamata set to present 'pro-people' budget

Railway Budget 2009