Railway Budget 2016-2017

Rail Budget 2016-17

Question: How many stations have been proposed to have the Wi-Fi this year?
(a) 400
(b) 200
(c) 100
(d) 300
Ans (c)
Related facts:

  • On 25 February 2016 Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented the Railway Budget 2016-17 in the Parliament.
  • Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented his second rail budget this year.
  • He gave the slogan “Chalo, Milkar Kuch Naya Karen” for overcoming challenges – Reorganize, Rejuvenate, Restructure Indian Railways.
  • He outlined the 3 pillars of strategy – raise new revenues, raise productivity and efficiency and revamp the processes.

The highlights of the Rail Budget 2016-17:

  • There is no hike in passenger fares and Freight fares in Railway Budget-2016-17.
  • In order to provide long-term perspective to planning for augmenting the railway network railway have decided to develop ‘National Rail Plan’ (NRP-2030).
  • Sarathi Seva will be expanded to help the old and disabled passenger.
  • 100 stations have been proposed to have the wifi this year and 400 other stations in next two year.
  • Extension of e-catering services from existing 45 large stations to all 408 ‘A-1’ and ‘A’ class stations.
  • It is proposed to take up the following freight corridors: North-South connecting Delhi to Chennai, East-West connecting Kharagpur to Mumbai & East Coast connecting Kharagpur to Vijayawada.
  • This year it is intended to commissioning 1,600 kms of electrification, which is the highest ever. In the next financial year railway have increased the outlay for railway electrification by almost 50% and propose to electrify 2,000 kms.
  • Better connectivity to the North Eastern States is of utmost priority for the railway.
  • The long-awaited Broad Gauge Lumding-Silchar section in Assam has been opened to connect Barak Valley with rest of the country.
  • For senior citizens and women travelers railway has increased quota of lower berths.
  • In the coming financial year railway will increase the senior citizen quota per coach by 50%, resulting in almost 120 lower berths per train for senior citizens.
  • Reserving middle bays for women in coaches for women security.
  • In pursuance of the objectives of the Accessible India campaign railway will ensure that all stations under redevelopment are accessible by Divyang.
  • Railway intend to provide at least one Divyang friendly toilet at each platform in A1 class stations during the next financial year.
  • It is propose to introduce the Antyodaya Express, a long-distance, fully unreserved, superfast train service, for the common man to be operated on dense routes.
  • There will also two to four Deen Dayalu coaches in some long distance trains for unreserved travel to enhance our carrying capacity for the masses.
  • Introduction of three select train services, Humsafar, Tejas and UDAY for the reserved passenger.
  • Humsafar would be fully air-conditioned third AC service with an optional service for meals.
  • Tejas will ensure cost recovery by way of tariff and non-tariff measures.
  • Tejas, on the other hand will also showcase the future of train travel in India. Operating at speeds of 130 kmph and above, it will offer onboard services such as entertainment, local cuisine, Wi-Fi, etc.
  • Railway will also introduce overnight double-decker, Utkrisht Double Decker Air-conditioned Yatri (UDAY) Express on the busiest routes, which has the potential to increase carrying capacity by almost 40%.
  • Wireless enabled ‘Rakshak’ devices to intimate gang men about approaching train.
  • Railway will tie up with the Ministry of Health for ensuring an exchange between Railways hospitals and Government hospitals.
  • Introduction of ‘AYUSH’ systems in 5 Railway hospitals.
  • Railways will provide internships to 100 students across Engineering and MBA schools for 2-6 months’ each year.
  • For promoting research in key policy areas railway intend for setting up two chairs.
  • One C T Venugopal chair on Strategic Finance, research and policy development and another Kalpana Chawla chair on geo-spatial technology for IR.
  • Under ‘Make in India’ initiative, bids will be finalized for two locomotive factories.
  • 17,000 bio-toilets in trains and additional toilets at 475 stations will be provided before the close of this financial year.
  • It may be recalled that World’s first Bio-Vacuum toilet was developed by Indian Railway and is being used in Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express.
  • Installation of additional 30,000 bio-toilets in the next financial year.
  • Railway will now open the facility of cancellation through the 139 helpline post verification using ‘One Time Password’ sent on registered phone number.
  • It has been proposed to set up a R&D organization, a Special Railway Establishment for Strategic Technology & Holistic Advancement, “SRESTHA”.
  • Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) will now focus only on day to day issues while SRESTHA would drive long term research.
  • The great places of pilgrimage in India which have a natural attraction for the Indian traveler will be taken up on priority the provision of passenger amenities and beautification on stations at pilgrimage centres including Ajmer, Amritsar, Bihar Sharif, Chengannur, Dwarka, Gaya, Haridwar, Mathura, Nagapattinam, Nanded, Nasik, Pali, Parasnath, Puri, Tirupati, Vailankanni, Varanasi and Vasco.

Indian Railways look forward to meet the following long-felt desires of the common man by 2020:

  1. Reserved accommodation on trains being available on demand.
  2. Time tabled freight trains with credible service commitments.
  3. High end technology to significantly improve safety record.
  4. Elimination of all unmanned level crossings.
  5. Punctuality increased to almost 95 per cent.
  6. Increased average speed of freight trains to 50 kmph and Mail/Express trains to 80 kmph.
  7. Semi high speed trains running along the golden quadrilateral.
  8. Zero direct discharge of human waste.

Financial Performance 2015-16:

  • Net reduction in Gross Traffic Receipts by Rs 15,744 crore in Revised Estimate(RE) 2015-16 compared to the Budgeted Estimate (BE) target of Rs 1,83,578 crore.
  • Freight earnings impacted mainly on account of low demand from the core sector resulting in resetting the target in R.E. 2015-16 to Rs 1,11,853 crore.
  • Stringent economy and austerity measures adopted to contain the Ordinary Working Expenses (O.W.E.) due to which budgeted Ordinary Working Expenses of Rs 1,19,410 crore decreased in the Revised Estimates 2015-16 to Rs. 1,10,690 crore i.e. by Rs 8,720 crore.
  • Internal resource generation diminished and appropriation to Depreciation Reserve Fund (DRF) moderated to Rs. 5,500 crore in RE from the BE 2015-16 provisioning of Rs. 7,900 crore.
  • Excess of receipts over expenditure in RE 2015-16 stands at Rs. 11,402.40 crore.
  • Plan size for 2015-16 is currently estimated at 1,00,000 crore i.e. the BE level.

Budget Estimates 2016-17:

  • Gross Traffic Receipts kept at Rs 1,84,820 crore . Passenger earnings growth has been pegged at 12.4 % and earnings target budgeted at Rs. 51,012 crore.
  • The freight traffic is pegged at incremental traffic of 50 million tonnes, anticipating a healthier growth in the core sector of economy. Goods earnings is accordingly proposed at Rs. 1, 17,933 crore.
  • Other coaching and sundries projected at Rs. 6,185 crore and Rs. 9,590.3 crore respectively.
  • Railways are preparing a Plan size of Rs. 1,21,000 crore in 2016-17.

Reference:
http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Budget_2016-17/RailBudgetSpeech_2016-17_Hinglights_Eng.pdf
http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Budget_2016-17/RailBudgetSpeech_2016-17_Eng.pdf
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/pmreleases.aspx?mincode=23