Railways surplus projected to increase by 28 pc in 2011-12

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) Indian Railways, the world''ssecond largest public sector employer, expects surplus ofrevenue over expenditure to rise by over 28 per cent to overRs 5,258 crore next fiscal on the back of higher trafficreceipts.

The surplus in 2011-12 is expected at Rs 5,258.41 crore,a growth of 28.11 per cent over the revised estimate of Rs4,104.50 crore for the current year, according to the RailwayBudget 2011-12 presented in Parliament today.

This increase in surplus is expected on account ofgreater gross traffic receipts.

Gross traffic receipts are projected to be Rs 1,06,239crore in the next fiscal, up 12.02 per cent from the revisedestimate of Rs 94,840.44 crore in 2010-11.

According to the Budget presented by Railways MinisterMamata Banerjee, the total receipts of the Indian Railways isalso to witness an increase of 12.6 per cent in 2011-12 at Rs1,09,393.13 crore. This is against a revised projection of Rs97,151.20 crore for the current fiscal.

As per the explanatory memorandum of Railway Budget, thetotal working expenses of her ministry in FY12 will be Rs96,450 crore.

This is an increase of 10.61 per cent over therevised figure of Rs 87,200 crore in the current fiscal.

The total expenditure of Railways is stated to go up by10.6 per cent during the next fiscal to Rs 97,400 crore. Therevised total expenditure for the current fiscal is Rs88,129.34 crore.

As per the Minister, the operating ratio of the Railwayswill come down to 91.1 per cent 2011-12, from the 92.1 percent revised estimate made for 2010-11.

Presenting the Railway Budget, Banerjee had said thatthere will be no hike in passenger fare and freight rates.

The budget for next year proposes to have the highestever Plan outlay of Rs 57,630 crore, with Rs. 9,583 croreprovided for new Railway lines.

The minister announced 1300 km of new lines, 867 kmdoubling of lines and 1017 km gauge conversion as target in2011-12.

She also announced introduction of 56 new ExpressTrains, three new Shatabdis and nine Duronto trains.