Lalu sets Rs 20,000 crore fund surplus, wants freedom to spend

New Delhi, Apr 10: Setting a target of Rs 20,000 crore as fund surplus for the Railways during the current fiscal as against Rs 11,000 crore last year, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today asserted that the dedicated freight corridor would prove to be a ''miracle'' for the country's biggest public sector enterprise.

''The third line between Ludhiana and Mumbai and from Ludhiana to Kolkata will prove to be a goldmine for the Railways, which has set a target of 800 million tonnes of freight loading during the current financial year as compared to 600 millionn tonnes last year,'' Mr Prasad said at a function to award Railway personnel selected for their achievements.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will soon lay the foundation stone of the dedicated freight corridor connecting Ludhiana and Mumbai. ''Railway Board Chairman J P Batra will accompany the Prime Minister during his coming visit to Germany during which Mr Batra will sign an MoU for infrastructure assistance for this project,'' the Railway Minister said.

In the first phase, Mumabi and Kolkata would be connected with dedicated freight lines while in the second phase, Mumbai-Chennai and Chennai-Kolkata would be interlinked encompassing various ports.

Taking pride in the turnaround story of the Railways, Mr Prasad said the 'doomsday sayers' and critics had been silenced as its coffers had been growing without any hike in passenger fares and freight rates for three consecutive years.

But donning the mantle of an economist, Mr Prasad was quick to point out that the burgeoning funds of the Railways should not find a way in the Consolidated Fund of India.

''Instead of the funds going to Mr P C Chidambaram's kitty, the Railways should have the freedom to spend its earnings on its developmental projects,'' he told the gathering, attended by Minister of State for Railways Narainbhai J. Rathwa, the Railway Board Chairman and other members of the Board.

Lauding the contributions of the Railway employees in this turnaround story, Mr Prasad allayed the rampant apprehension of privatisation in the organisation. ''I firmly declare that no Railway Ministry undertaking, including the Kapurthala coach factory, would be put into private hands. Any step with regrad to the Kapurthala factory would be based on a consensus,'' he said.

In his budget speech, the Railway Minister had announced that the Kapurthala unit would be corporatised, triggering fear of its impending privatisation.

Pointing out that the Railways had become ''a soft target'' for Naxal attacks, he said though law and order fell in the domain of the state governments, he had discussed the issue with Home Minister Shivraj Patil and various chief ministers.

He also assured that the victims' families would be suitably compensated.

Expressing concern over the spurt in accidents at unmanned level crossings, numbered at 25,000, Mr Prasad said his ministry had drawn up a plan to overcome this problem, which would also need people's coperation.

''There are people who treat railway lines as their courtyards and risk their lives,'' he added.

Mr Rathwa, in his address, said it had been proposed to increase the contribution of Railway employees towards Employees Welfare Fund from Rs 26 to Rs 226. ''Steps are under way to improve amenities in railway staff quarters, including provision of more community centres and uniforms,'' he said.

Mr Batra said the earnings of Railways had increased by 16 per cent during 2005-06 while the freight earnings went up by 18 per cent.

''The overall operating ratio was at an all-time best of 83.7 per cent,'' Mr Batra said, adding that adequate funds had been allocated for new lines, doubling of lines, gauge conversions, additional coaches and wagons, passenger amenities and maintenance of assets.

Efforts are also under way to effect a turnaround in the area of safety, he pointed out. Though there was an increase in the number of manned level crossing accidents, which went up from five in 2004 to 10 in 2005 and the incidents of fire also went up from 15 to 10 during the period, the number of collisions registered a decline from 13 to 9.

A 'Customer Care Programme' and a special campaign for improving facilities at stations across the country would soon be launched while plans were afoot to turn all 'A' and 'B' category stations into 'Model Stations', Mr Batra said.

In addition, the Railways was all set to refashion its timetable by increasing the speed and time schedule of various trains for the benefit of passengers, he said.

Among the important awards, the Safety Shield was jointly bagged by North Eastern Railway and Southern Railway while the Security Shield was won by South Central Railway.

The Minister of Railways' Awards were bagged by 204 Railway officers and staff. The awards were given as part of the annual 'Railway Week' celebrations held from April 10 to 16.

UNI