Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Rail Budget: Live coverage

LIVE from Mamata Banerjee's speech -

- 54 new trains to be introduced in FY11

- Dedicated freight & passenger corridors to be set up

- Tourists trains to be launched on 16 routes

- To provide employment to 1 member of land losers' family

- Railway eco parks to be set up to give importance to nature

- GPS-based driver guidance system on locomotives

- Will set up 10 automobile and ancillary hubs

- 2008-09 combined turnover of Rs 13,641 cr for railways

- 5 wagon industries to be set up in JV-PPP mode

- Design development & testing centre for wheels in Bangalore

- No increase in freight tariff

- To run 101 suburban trains in Mumbai

- Railways to complete 25,000km of rail lines by 2020

- 50 creches and 20 hostels for children of women employees

- Mobile e-ticketing centres at hospitals, courts & universities

- To make e-tickets available at panchayat level

- New scheme of house for all railway employees

- Double decker trains to be used on pilot basis

- Special trains, opportunities to sportspersons for CWG

- Railways to be lead funder for Commonwealth Games

- Security of women passengers will be improved

- Railways plans for 6 water bottling plants

- Plan to raise Rs 10,000 - 20,000 crore in FY11

- Rs 1,300 crore allocated for passenger amenities

- To complete 1000km lines in one year

- India Inc needs to join hands with Railways

- English, Hindi and Urdu will be used for Railway entrance exams

- 117 trains will be flagged off by March 31st

- Budget proposals have been made on economic viability

- Railways will not be privatised

- Indian Railways needs to catch up faster with the West

- Policy guidelines will be made simple and easy

- Planning is important to meet long-term demands

- I want to improve Railway infrastructure

- My proposals are dictated by social responsibility

- Inclusive growth is important for the Govt

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- Mamata begins rail budget presentation in parliament

- 'Peace Express' between Kashmir and Kanyakumari likely

- Mamata to come out with ten year plan called 'Vision 2020'

- Mamata arrives at the Parliament

- It's a budget of the people, by the people and for the people: Mamata

- Lalu slams Mamata ahead of Rail Budget

- Opposition continue to press for adjournment of both houses

- Rail Minister Mamata Banerjee leaves for Parliament

Amid allegations that that promises made last year have not yet been accomplished, Mamata Banerjee will present her second Railway Budget in Parliament on Wednesday. With an eye to the West Bengal Assembly elections slated for 2011, Mamata is expected to roll out a string of proposals that could bring cheer to people of WB. 'It will be a pro-people budget and Bengal will smile. There will be a number of new projects. Private participation in Railways will increase manifold,' said a senior railway official.

If Lalu Prasad Yadav declared he would go down in history as a railway minister who never hiked fares, his successor looks set to chart the same course. Although Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had suggested the next budget must include a minimum increase of 10-15 per cent in second class passenger fares with no increase for freight, Mamata may do just the opposite - hike the freight rates while leaving the passenger fares untouched.

However, the Railway Budget is expected to be high on populism and low on reforms.