Rail Budget 2016 Highlights
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presents “Rail Budget 2016” in Lok Sabha.
1:13 pm: Suresh Prabhu concludes his rail budget speech.
1:15 pm: No hike in railway fares.
1:10 pm: The companies owned by Railways to come under a holding company.
1:09 pm: Two dedicated freight corridors by 2019.
1:07 pm: I’m setting aside Rs. 50 crore for providing innovation grants to start-ups.
1:04 pm: Drones to be used for remote monitoring of ongoing projects.
1:03 pm: 33% sub-quota for women under all reserved categories.
1:02 pm: We’ll increase the advertising revenue by more than four times this year.
1:01 pm: We intend to give special focus to exploring advertising potentials at big stations.
1:01 pm: In-principal nod for MUTP projects received.
1:01 pm: India’s first rail auto hub to come up in Chennai.
1:01 pm: Special purpose vehicle for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speech corridor registered this month.
1:00 pm: A full-fledged market study on freight basket underway for revival of freight share.
12:59 pm: We will partner with the Govt. of TN for developing suburban network in Chennai through innovative financing methods.
12:59 pm: We will work with Karnataka State Government for suburban rails.
12:58 pm: Ring Railway to be redeveloped in partnership with the Delhi government.
12:57 pm: I propose to invite FM radio stations to provide train borne entertainment via PA systems:
12:56 pm: We intend to publish Rail Bandhu magazine in all regional languages.
12:56 pm: Elevated rail corridors from Churchgate to Virar and CST to Panvel on the cards.
12:54 pm: We’ll install GPS-based digital display in coaches for showing upcoming stations.
12:54 pm: We intend taking up on priority passenger amenities and beautification of stations.
12:53 pm: We have also revamped our internal audit system with view to bringing in efficiency in working practices.
12:52 pm: Coolies will be called ‘Sahayaks’.
12:52 pm: Children’s menu, baby foods, baby boards to be made available for travelling mothers.
12:51 pm: We’re skilling of front-end staff employed through service providers.
12:51 pm: We’re planning to re-imagine design of coaches.
12:50 pm: IRCTC will make available local cuisine of choice, hygienic food.
12:50 pm: All new Railway stations to be built as per Accessible India guidelines.
12:48 pm: We’re working with insurance companies for optional insurance to passengers.
12:48 pm: We’ve introduced Sarthi Seva in Konkan Railways for help to senior citizens; will expand this service.
12:48 pm: The cleaning of toilets by requests through SMS.
12:47 pm: New policy of multi-purpose stalls at station to provide multiple services like milk and medicines.
12:46 pm: Local cuisine of choice will be made available to passengers.
12:46 pm: We are extending e-catering to all rail stations.
12:45 pm: IRCTC will begin to manage catering service in phased manner.
12:45 pm: We’ll include e-ticket facility for foreign debit and credit card holders.
12:44 pm: We’ll open cancellation facility through 139 helpline number.
12:44 pm: Journalists to get facility of e-booking of tickets on concessional passes.
12:43 pm: We are planning to introduce bar-coded tickets on pilot basis to tackle menace of ticketless travel.
12:43 pm: Overnight double-decker trains to be introduced on business travel routes.
12:42 pm: We have opened long awaited Broad Gauge Lumding-Silchar section in Assam, connecting Barak Valley with rest of country.
12:41 pm: Long distance superfast train Antyodaya Express for unreserved passsengers.
12:41 pm: Fully unreserved superfast trains to be introduced on dense traffic routes.
12:40 pm: We’ll introduce Deen Dayal coaches for long distance trains for unreserved passengers.
12:40 pm: A full-fledged Railway University soon.
12:38 pm: A single accident or loss of a single life causes me great sorrow and anguish.
12:38 pm: Safety record has become better. 20% less accidents this year than last year but a lot needs to be done.
12:37 pm: CCTV network has been provided at 311 railway stations.
12:37 pm: Walls of many stations have been converted to murals, also contributing to social awareness.
12:36 pm: Railways to increase the quota of lower berths for women and senior citizens.
12:36 pm: We will formulate a framework where net saving from electrification will be able to finance capital expenditure.
12:35 pm: It is proposed to undertake bidding for redevelopment of few large and medium stations.
12:32 pm: We introduced 1,780 ticket-vending machines.
12:31 pm: Swacch Bharat: 17,000 bio-toilets and additional toilets to be provided by end of this Fiscal Year.
12:31 pm: 1,600 km of electrification this year and 2,000 km proposed for the next year.
12:30 pm: More than 1 lakh telephone calls are made everyday to seek inputs from passengers.
12:29 pm: The common people have always been the focus of all our initiatives.
12:28 pm: We have received in-principle approval from 17 States to form joint ventures. Cabinet decision to allow JVs with States for rail projects opens new vistas for ownership in railway sector.
12:27 pm: North-East India, especially Mizoram and Manipur, to be connected through broad gauge soon.
12:27 pm: We will commission 2,800 km of new tracks in next year.
12:24 pm: Social Media has been used to bring in transparency.
12:24 pm: We have started recruitment process online for Railways to bring 100% transperancy.
12:23 pm: We have finalised bids for setting up 2 locomotive factories. New factories to be set up with an order book of Rs. 40,000 crore.
12:22 pm: Indian Railways to surpass ambitious target of commissioning 2500 kms of broad gauge lines, almost 30% higher than last year.
12:22 pm: Every Rupee in investment in Railways has the capacity to increase economy wide output of Rs. 5.
12:21 pm: New freight corridors announced: Delhi-Chennai, Kharagpur-Mumbai, Kharagpur-Vijayawada.
12:20 pm: LIC has agreed invest Rs. 1.5 lakh crore over 5 years on extremely favourable terms.
12:20 pm: Dedicated freight corridor project gaining momentum.
12:19 pm: We are poised to commission broad gauge lines at the rate of 7 km per day against 4.5 km over last five years.
12:18 pm: We will generate 9 crore man-days employment by 2017-18 and 14 crore man-days by 2018-19.
12:17 pm: By 2020, we’ll have time-tabled freight trains.
12:16 pm: New way of funding projects introduced using institutional financing.
12:16 pm: Happy to announce action has been initiated on 139 Budget announcements last year.
12:16 pm: Elimination of unmanned level crossings a priority. By 2020, eliminiate all unmanned level crossing.
12:16 pm: We hope to generate revenues of order of Rs.1,84,820 cr next year, 10.1% higher than revised target of current year.
12:14 pm: The vision is Railways must provide people rail system they can be proud of.
12:13 pm: In 2016-17, the capital plan will be Rs. 1,21,000 crore.
12:13 pm: A saving of Rs. 8,720 crore for Budget estimates of last year will be effected this year.
12:13 pm: Co-operation, collaboration and communication, are the hallmarks of Indian Railways’s journey forward.
12:13 pm: We’ll win back our share in transportation sector. Every asset to be optimally monetised.
12:12 pm: For year 2016-17 we expect the operating ratio of 92%. What is operating ratio?
It is a financial ratio used for large industries to define operating expenses as a percentage of revenue.
12:10 pm: We are facing two headwinds: tepid growth of our economyโs core sectors, increased productivity bonus payouts.
12:09 pm: The Railways stood test of time because of its employees.
12:08 pm: Core objective is to become an engine of employment generation and economic growth at national level.
12:07 pm: This budget will document a journey of transformation and journey of nation.
12:06 pm: This Budget owes its inspiration to vision of PM Modi who said: “My vision is to make railways backbone of Indiaโs progress & economic development.”
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