Railway Budget 2013-14: an average budget from Pawan Kumar Bansal

It was a railway budget by a congress minister after 17 years and there were lots of expectations from railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. But in his maiden budget he disappoints many as he fails to provide any insight.

He accepted railway’s current disastrous financial condition, but still he did not take any corougious step to curb Rs. 24,000 crore loss. He did not hike any passenger fare for now although he proposed increase in fret charges by 5%, applicable from April 2013.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh congratulated Mr. Bansal and welcome the budget. He said the budget is ‘reformist and forward looking’.

BJP strongly criticised the government by saying its not a union budget but Rai Bareli budget. There was nothing given to NDA led states specially Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chattishgarh and Bihar.

SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said it was the worst budget presented by any railway minister.

BSP, CPI, CPM and others also said it was dissapointing budget.

The highlights of the Railway budget:

1. Zero accident Target
2. Cleanliness and facilities
3. Woman safety – more RPF guards will be
4. Centralised catering system, food testing unit to be established
5. ‘Anubhuti’ a coach with modern facility will be added to Satabdi and Rajdhani
6. E ticketing from mobile
7. Increase in internet booking timing from 12:30 am to 11:30 pm
8. All level crossings to be eliminated
9. Introduction of Azadi express
10. Sms on reservation status to passengers
11. More terminals in New Delhi
12. Arunachal Pradesh under Indian Railways connectivity
13. Ban on plastic bags in train
14. 5% increase in fret charges
15. No immediate hike in passenger trains
16. Reservation charges marginally increased in superfast trains
17. Tatkal  fees to be hiked
18. 67 new express trains
19. Free wi-fi in selected trains
20. 27 new passenger trains
21. AC local train for Mumbai
22. Next generation e-ticketing system will be implemented

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