Railway Budget speech 2008-09: Full text

ON TRACK: Lalu Prasad presents Railway Budget 2008-09.

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Kolkata and Chennai Suburban services

The Metro works being done in Kolkata and Chennai are also being completed on priority. The work of extension of Kolkata Metro Rail from Tollygunj to Garia will be completed in the coming financial year. In Chennai Metro Services, the section from Thirumalai to Vellachari has been extended and opened in the month of November 2007 and the extension work of Vellachari- Saint Thomas Mount section has been started. This work is expected to be completed by December 2010 at the cost of Rs. 496 cr.

Surveys

125. Based on demands, the following surveys are proposed to be taken up:

New Lines

1. Washim-Badnera

2. Khandwa-Dhar via Khargone, Badwani.

3. Solapur-Jalgaon

4. Maheshkunt-Narainpur via Agwanighat

5. Rotegaon-Puntamba

6. Junagarh-Ambaguda

7. Ghogardia-Ghoghepur

8. Rewari-Palwal-Khurja

9. Baddi-Barotiwala-Nangal

10. Thawe-Motihari-Chauradano

11. Dehradun-Kalsi

12. Una-Hoshiarpur

13. Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch via Akhnoor

14. Meerut-Panipat

15. Amarpura-Chirawa

16. Rewari-Bhiwadi

17. Dongargarh-Kota

18. Karaikuddi- Ramanathpuram-Tuticorin-Kanyakumari

19. Chidambaram-Attur via Perambalur

20. Angadipuram-Kozikode

21. Kanjangad-Panathur

22. Srinivaspura-Madanapalli

23. Madhubani- Kamtaul

24. Bahedi-Manjhaul-Rusera Ghat-Barauni

25. Kantabanji-Navrangpur-Jeypore

26. Khurda Road-Rajatgarh

27. Pawapuri-Nawada

28. Thanjavur-Ariayalur

29. Ballarshah-Surajgarh

30. Banka-Jamui

31. Akbarpur-Sultanpur via Khadipur

32. Barwadih-Chirimiri

33. Salna-Kumtai

34. Ellenabad-Sirsa

35. Firozepur-Patti

36. Bhavnathpur-Chopan

37. Barbil-Banspani

Gauge conversion

1 Billimora-Waghai with extension up to Manmad

2 Pratapnagar-Jambusar-Kavi

3 Jhaghadia-Netrang with extension up to Nandurbar

4 Mavli-Badi Sadri

5 New Mal-Maynaguri Road

Doubling

1. Aunrihar-Varanasi

2. Lohta-Jhangai

3. Buxar-Ara-Mokama third line

4. Dornakal-Manuguru

5. Omalur-Mettur Dam

Flyovers

1. Sainthia

2. Sarona

3. Bhuteswar

4. Sitarampur

5. Jalgaon

6. Vizianagram

7. Bina

PART II

Budget Estimates 2008-09

Sir, I shall now deal with the Budget Estimates for 2008-09. 127. The target for freight loading for the year 2008-09 has been kept at 850 MT and for freight output at 550 billion ton km. Budget Estimates for Freight, Passenger, Sundry other Earnings and other Coaching Earnings have been kept at Rs. 52,700 cr, Rs 21,681 cr, Rs. 5,000 cr and Rs 2,420 cr respectively. Maintaining an overall double digit growth, Gross Traffic Earnings have been projected as Rs 81,801 cr, reflecting an increase of Rs.9,146 cr on the Revised Estimates for the current year.

Sir, provision for Ordinary Working Expenses for 2008-09 has been kept at Rs.50,000 cr, which is 20 per cent more than the Revised Estimates for 2007-08. Provision for Depreciation Reserve Fund has been stepped up to Rs.7,000 cr and Pension Fund to Rs.9,590 cr. I have made an ad hoc provision of nearly Rs 5000 cr for the anticipated recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission. Thus total Working Expenses will be Rs.66,590 cr and Net Revenue Rs.16,423 cr. While Railways’ cash surplus before dividend is projected at Rs.24,783 cr, the targeted Operating Ratio is 81.4 percent. Fund balances to end of the next financial year are estimated at Rs.19,707 cr. Dividend payable for 2008-09, assessed on the basis of the rate of dividend for 2007-08, is estimated at Rs.4,636 cr. In the Plan outlay for the next year, Rs.20,600 cr will be provided from internal resources.

Passenger Services

129. Sir, during the last four years, I had reduced the fares of second class by one rupee per passenger for suburban services, two rupees per passenger for second class non-suburban services, 20% reduction in super-fast surcharge levied on second class super fast mail/express trains, up to 24% in the fares for AC 1st class and up to 14% in the fares for AC 2-tier. We have done the magic of generating a surplus of 25,000 cr despite reduction in fares. Bowing to the hopes and expectations of millions of people, I have decided to reduce passenger fares and freight rates this year also.

Jaadu au tona, humne dikhaya tha pichhle saal, Es baar , poora indrajaal dekh leejiye.

Sir, twice I have announced reduction in second-class fares by one rupee each. This year, I announce further reduction of one rupee in the second-class fares of up to rupees fifty per passenger for non-suburban mail/express and ordinary passenger trains.