Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Rail Budget: 'Modi Express' on right track?

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Budget 2014

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Tue, Jul 08, 2014 | 07:24 PM IST
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Gowda said new trains will include 5 Jansadharan Trains, 5 Premium, 6 AC express, 27 express, 8 passenger, 3 MEMU services & 5 DEMU services this year.
Calling NDA govt's maiden Rail Budget as the 'real Indian budget', PM Modi said, "Railway budget is a stepping stone for new growth phase."
Yes, the rail budget could have been clearer on the specifics, but, directionless it certainly isn't. Those who argue there was no vision in the rail budget, perhaps have no eyes.
Government on Tuesday proposed "highest ever" plan outlay of Rs 65,445 crore to the railways for the current fiscal.
"Railways hope to achieve total receipts of Rs 1,64,374 crore and would peg total expenditure at Rs. 1,49,176 crore," Gowda said.
"We will raise train speeds between several cities to 160-200 km/hour," Gowda promised. "Railways will spend Rs 100 cr for high speed trains," he said.
Letting foreign investment in Railways and converting the railways into many competing companies will help. Gowda missed going the whole hog on reforms.
The cash-strapped body will mobilise resources for infrastructure creation and upgradation through the funds of the railways' PSUs.
Some of the key tech based initiatives announced include a massive revamp of the e-ticketing system and a bigger role for mobile technology.
Railways have an operating surplus of merely 6% and loses money every year, principally by subsidising passenger traffic at the cost of freight. Instead of talking about bullet trains, it would have been better to focus on getting this balance right.
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