Highlights of Railway Budget 2014: How Telangana protest derails plans

Published: Wednesday, February 12, 2014, 13:18 [IST]

New Delhi, Feb 12: Uproar over Telangana created ruckus in Parliament where Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday, Feb 12 presented his interim railway budget 2014. One of the biggest attraction of the budget was that passenger fares and freight rates have been remained unchanged.

Here are the highlights of the Railway Budget 2014:

1. There is a good news for North-Eastern states as the railway minister declared that there will be better connectivity for Arunchal, Meghalaya. Both states are expected to come on the Railway Map in FY14. Moreover, extension to north-eastern states has been a priority, said the minister.

2. Kharge also promised that passenger service to religious tourist destinations, such as -- Vaishno Debi and Katra will be launched shortly.

3. 2,702 km of new railway lines have been announced.

4. New factories in Chhapra, Rae Bareily and Dankuni have become operational.

5. Planning for a rail tunnel connecting Jammu with Kashmir has been discussed. Here it can be mentioned that the tunnel was inaugurated in June 2013.

6. Railway Minister said that electrification of 4,556 kms versus aim of 4,500 kms have been completed.

7. Fiscal year 2014-2015 annual plan will be Rs 64,300 crore against Rs 59,359 crore in FY14. Budgetary support for FY15 pegged at Rs 30,200 crore.

8. Rs 12,800 crore from market will be borrowed by IRFC and Rs 1000 core will borrowed by Rail Vikas Nigam.

9. 17 new premium passenger trains and 38 express trains to be introduced in FY15.

10. As no major announcements have been made so far, all rail stocks are down, said the minister.

11. FY15 public-private project investment seen at Rs 6005 crore.

12. Gross traffic receipts for the year FY14.

13. FY15 goods Earnings seen at Rs.1.06 lakh crore, Rail minister pegs total traffic receipts at Rs.1.65 lakh crore in FY15.

14. Railways to pay Rs 9,100 crore dividend to exchequer this year.

15. FY15 pension outgo seen at Rs 27,000 crore against Rs 24,000 crore in FY14.

16. Freight loading target for FY15 seen at 1101 million tonne.

17. Rail Minister pegs total expenditure for FY15 at Rs 1.45 lakh crore.