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Railway Budget 2004-05: Highlights
Railway Budget 2004-05: Highlights
Railway Minister Laloo Prasad on Tuesday presented his maiden Railway Budget for 2004-05 in the Lok Sabha amidst boycott by BJP-led Opposition.
The budget proposes no increase in any passenger fares for any class of travel or hike in freight rates.
The 2004-05 Annual Plan outlay for Railways has been pegged at Rs 14,498 crore, which is Rs 773 crore more than the outlay of the interim Budget apart from Rs 300 crore for the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah National Project.
The Annual Plan outlay includes Rs 2,933 crore on safety related works through the Special Railway Safety Fund (SRSF).
The Railway Minister said the thrust of the Annual Plan is development and safety and the total outlay under capital on the five major plan project heads this year has been kept at Rs 2,696 crore with Rs 947 crore on new lines (excluding Rs 300 for Kashmir rail project).
Besides the new lines, Rs 760 crore is being provided for gauge conversion and Rs 125 crore for electrification.
Highlights of Railway Budget 2004-05
* No increase in passenger fare
* No increase in freight rates
* 75 per cent concession in fares in second and sleeper slasses to widows of defence personnel killed in action against terrorist/extremist
* Escort accompanying a deaf and dumb person also to get 50 per cent concession in fares in first, second, sleeper classes and in season tickets.
* 75 per cent concession in fares in II/SL/I/AC chair car and AC-3 tier classes for severe/moderate Haemophilia patients for treatment
* Full concession in second class to unemployed youth attending interviews for selection to central categories; revised rates to be effective from August 6, 2004
* The total number of rate scales for booking of parcels proposed to be reduced from four scales to three scales
* 10 per cent rebate in freight charges for transportation of heavy machinery consignments by special trains
* 15 additional express trains to be introduced apart From 17 Sampark Kranti Express trains announced in the interim Budget
*Freight earnings placed at Rs 28,745 crore; Passenger earnings revised downward to Rs 13,940 crore
* An outlay of Rs 215 crore for passenger amenities
* Target of adding broad gauge lines fixed at 1,650 km in 2004-05
* Major IT measures like Coaching Operations Information System covering passenger coaches and parcel vans, unreserved ticketing system
* Introduction of computer based traffic control system
* Deployment of lady ticketing squads
* Upholstery/linen used on Railways to be of Handloom/khadi
* Disposable kulhars to be made available, use of plastic cups to be discouraged
