Railway Budget 09-10: Youth and students

KOLKATA: The student and youth brigade gave a big thumbs-up to the Railway Budget 2009-10 on Friday as Mamata Banerjee announced a slew of initiatives for Gen-Next. 

Among the several proposals outlined by the union railway minister, one of the most appreciated was the Yuva air-conditioned (AC) trains dedicated to the young generation where one would have to pay Rs 299 for distances upto 1,500 km and Rs 399 for distances upto 2,500 km. 

The new low-priced fast train service will be started to connect youth and low income groups in rural hinterlands to major metros/cities. The train will run from point to point for distances ranging from 1000 km to 2500 km. For starters, a weekly service will be introduced as a pilot service within three months in the Mumbai to Delhi and Delhi to Kolkata sections. 

Priyadarshika Das who’s studying architecture in Cuttack, Orissa was all praise for the move. "That’s a huge discount from the current fares. Many students who are studying in other states can’t afford AC fares when they are travelling home. This is great for them," she said. At present, fares in a mail/express train’s AC chaircar for distances around 1500 km hover around the Rs 840 mark, while for distances of 2500 km, they come in at around Rs 1100. 

Student concessions too, were aplenty. 

The free monthly season tickets for second class travel between school and home for girl students up to graduation and for boy students up to 12th standard is proposed to be extended to students attending madrasa, high madrasa and senior madrasa. 

This concessional monthly season ticket scheme has been extended for travel in the Kolkata Metro rail, Kolkata and would also be applicable to students attending recognised vocational institutions. Metro concession would be 60% of the regular fare. Scholarships will be introduced for the higher education of girl children of railways’ Group ‘D’ staff. Salma Khatun is delighted. 

"This is a very welcome initiative by the railway minister. I only hope that all the measures are implemented and don’t just remain at the proposal stage." 

Rohan Jaikishen, IIM Kozhikode’s Batch of 2010 was gung-ho about the Budget as well. "The initiatives taken by our railway minister are encouraging. While many may dismiss this as a political gimmick, I believe that the youth centric measures taken by Ms. Banerjee will benefit the student community immensely. I am particularly excited about the scholarships for higher education of girl children of group D staff and is a clear indication that the ideal of inclusive growth shall be implemented wherever possible. Even the Yuva trains initiative is very well thought out and will make urban colleges and schools accessible to the youth of rural India thereby providing them better education opportunities."

Railway Budget 2009-10: 50 railway stations to be of world standard

NEW DELHI: Presenting the Railway Budget 2009-10, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that about 50 stations are to be developed into world class stations with international level facilities. (Watch ) 

Banerjee said that these stations would be developed through innovative financing and in Public Private Partnership mode. 

Some of these stations are: CST Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Howrah, Sealdah, Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Amritsar, Kanpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Chennai Central, Tiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Tirupati, Bangalore City, Baiyapanahali (Bangalore), Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Gaya Jn., Agra Cantt., Mathura Jn., Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Majerhat, Mangalore, Porbandar, Anand Vihar, Brijwasan, Ajmer and Puri. Banerjee also announced the construction of Multi-Functional Complexes (MFCs) in station premises for providing rail users facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants. 

The MFCs will also have book stalls, PCO/STD/ISD/Fax booths, medicine, budget hotels and underground parking. 

She said that during this year, 50 such railway stations would be developed in places of pilgrimage, industry and tourist interest. 

"The responsibility for development of Multi-functional Complexes would be entrusted to IRCON and Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA)," she added. 

The 49 identified stations to be developed as MFCs are: Alipurduar, Allahabad, Anandpur Sahib, Banspani, Bikaner, Bilaspur, Cuttack, Darjeeling, Dehradun, Digha, Durg, Ernakulum, Gandhidham, Ganga Sagar, Ghatsila, Gwalior, Hajur Sahib, Hubli, Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jammu Tawi, Jasidih, Jhansi, Jodhpur, Kanyakumari, Kathgodam, Katra, Khajuraho, Madurai, Manmad, Mysore, Nanded, Nasik, Palakkad, Parasnath, Raebareily, Raipur, Rajgir, Rameshwaram, Ranchi, Shirdi, Silchar, Tarapith, Tiruchirapalli, Udaipur, Ujjain, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam.

Railway budget 2009-10 focuses on fares, services

NEW DELHI: Railway minister Mamata Banerjee unveiled a mix of populist measures, including cheap tickets for the poor and no increase in freight or passenger fares, as well as steps to boost the sprawling system's efficiency and finances. ( Watch ) 

Friday's railway budget speech underscored the Congress-led government's focus on "inclusive growth" after it was reelected by a wider-than-expected margin in May. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government will present its budget on Monday. "The old mindset of economic viability should be substituted by social viability," Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee said in an address to parliament. (Watch ) 

Banerjee, looking to take advantage of the railway's vast property holdings, said land along the new freight corridor would be put to productive use, and also said the railway operator will resume issuance of tax-free bonds. ( Watch ) 

Over the five years through March 2009, Railways generated a cash surplus of about $18.8 billion. 

She also said the group will build a 1,000 megawatt electricity plant -- India suffers from a severe energy deficit -- to power electric locomotives. She said the system would look to introduce double-decker trains, and take advantage of its fibre-optic communications network. "I visualise an eastern industrial corridor developing alongside the eastern dedicated freight corridor," she said in the ministry's annual budget address. ( Watch ) 

Arun Kejriwal, research strategist at broker KRIS in Mumbai, said the speech gave a clue to the government's policy leanings. 

Railway Budget 09-10: 57 New Trains Introduced

57 new trains service are proposed in the Railway Budget for 2009-10. This was announced by the Minister of Railway, Kumari Mamata Banerjee in Parliament today. These are: 

1. Vishakhapatnam – Secunderabad – Mumbai Superfast (Bi-weekly). 

2. Sriganga Nagar – Delhi – Nanded Superfast (Weekly) 

3. New Jalpaiguri – Sealdah Superfast (Tri-weekly) 

4. Bangalore – Hubli – Solapur Superfast (Tri-weekly) 

5. Howrah – Bangalore Superfast (weekly) 

6. Pune – Daund-Solapur Superfast (Daily) 

7. Ranchi-Howrah (3 days via Ghatshila-Kharagpur and 3 days via Asansol) Intercity (6 days a week) 

8. Kamakhya-Puri Express (Weekly) 

9. Jabalpur-Ambikapur Express (Tri-weekly) 

10. Gandhidham-Howrah Superfast (Weekly) 

11. Delhi-Sadulpur Express (Tri-weekly) 

12. Ajmer-Bhopal Express (by intergration of 9655/56 Ajmer-Ratlam and 9303/04 Ratlam- Bhopal express trains) (Daily) 

13. Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Jn. (Thiruvananthapuram) Superfast (Weekly) 

14. Mumbai-Karwar Superfast (Tri-weekly) 

15. Durg-Jaipur Express (Weekly) 

16. Dibrugarh Town-Chandigarh Express (Weekly) 

17. Delhi-Farakka Express (Bi-weekly) 

18. Hazrat Nizmmudin-Bangalore Rajdhani Express (Tri-weekly) via Kacheguda 

19. New Jalpaiguri-Delhi Express (Bi-weekly) via Barauni 

20. Mumbai-Varanasi Superfast (Daily) 

21. Mysore-Yesvantpur Express (Daily) 

22. Koraput-Rourkela Express (Daily) via Rayagada 

23. Agra-Ajmer Intercity Superfast (Daily) 

24. Mumbai-Jodhpur-Bikaner Superfast (Bi-weekly) 

25. Agra-Lucknow Junction Intercity (Daily) 

26. Hapa-Tirunelveli Jn. Superfast (Bi-weekly) via Thiruananthapuram 

27. Gwalior-Bhopal Intercity Express (5 days a week) via Guna 

28. Kanyakumari-Rameshwaram Express (Tri-weekly) via Madurai 

29. Howrah-Haridwar Superfast (5 days a week) 

30. Varanasi-Jammu Tawi Superfast (Daily) 

31. Gorakhpur-Mumbai Superfast (Daily) 

32. New Delh-Guwahati Rajdhani Express (Weekly) via Muzaffarpur 

33. Veraval-Mumbai Link Service (Daily) 

34. Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabadi Express (Daily) 

35. Jhansi-Chhindwara Express (Bi-weekly) via Bina-Bhopal 

36. Mumbai-Jodhpur Express (Weekly) 

37. Jamalpur-Gaya Passenger (Daily) 

38. Jhajha-Patna MEMU (Daily) 

39. Kanpur-New Delhi Shatabdi Express (6 days a week) 

40. Bhopal-Lucknow-Pratapgarh Superfast (Weekly) 

41. Lucknow-Rae Bareli-Bangalore Superfast (Weekly) 

42. Shimoga-Bangalore Intercity Express (Daily) 

43. Mdurai-Chennai Express (Bi-weekly) 

44. Guwahati-New Cooch Behar Express Intercity (Daily) 

45. Balurghat-New Jalpaiguri Express (Daily) via Kishanganj 

46. Alipurduar-New Delhi Jalpaiguri Express Intercity (Daily) via Siliguri 

47. Dharmanagar-Agartala Fast Passenger (Daily) 

48. Rewari-Phulera Passenger (Daily) via Ringus 

49. Shoranur-Nilambur Road Passenger (Daily) 

50. Coimbator-Shoranur Passenger (Daily) 

51. Mathura-Kasganj Passenger (Daily) 

52. Farakka-Katwa-Azimganj-Nawadwip Dham Express (Daily) 

53. Bangalore-Kochuveli Superfast (Weekly) 

54. Kolkata-Rampurhat Express (Daily) 

55. New Jalpaiguri-Digha Express (Weekly) 

56. Purulia-Howrah Express (Bi-weekly) 

57. Kolkata-Bikaner Express (Weekly) via Nagore

Mamata's railway budget 2009-10 makes common man smile

NEW DELHI: The man on the street appeared happy with Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday and also a trifle relieved that she had not announced a fare hike in her rail budget. 

Raju, 28-year-old daily wage labourer, was all praise for her new scheme that makes a monthly season ticket of Rs.25 available fortravel up to 100 km for those in the unorganized sector with monthly incomes not exceeding Rs.1,500. 

"I have to travel from one place to another as and when work comes up. So this scheme is of great use to me," said Raju, who hails from Bihar, lives in Delhi and often goes to Haryana for work. 

Homemaker Sushila Sharma pointed out that at a time when everything was becoming more expensive, Banerjee had at least spared train travel. 

"With the prices of everything skyrocketing, the freezing of passenger fares is a real highlight. For the middle class it will be a relief in such times," said Sharma who travels by train at least twice a year for family holidays. 

People have also given a thumbs-up to Banerjee's decision to make unreserved tickets available at 5,000 post offices across the country. 

"Now we will not need to go to the railway station for tickets. I can buy a ticket from a nearby post office," said 80-year-old Dayanand Arora, who lives in a Haryana village. 

Sahil Makhija, a 23-year-old Delhi based professional, also welcomed the installation of 200 automatic vending machines at key stations. 

"Though we have online ticketing, everybody is not comfortable using it. The automatic ticket vending machine will surely take away the rush from booking counters." 

Railway Budget 09-10: The politics of Mamata's Rail Budget

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee has used the railway budget very deftly as a powerful tool to woo the tribal and minority population in West Bengal in the run- up to the 2011 assembly elections. Interestingly, both the tribals and the minorities had dumped the CPIM-led Left Front in the last Lok Sabha elections and had backed the Trinamool Congress to help Mamata win 19 of the total 42 parliamentary seats in the state.  Mamata’s latest proposal to set up a 1000 mw power venture in Adra in the Purulia district is being seen as a calculated move to send a clear signal to the over 55 lakh-strong tribal population about her intentions to deliver even more benefits if her party is voted to power in the assembly elections. Adra is in the heart of a tribal belt bordering Jharkhand and not too far from trouble-torn Lalgarh where the Buddhadeb government continues to face strong resistance from the tribal population.  "We won’t take much time to implement the railway minister’s plans to set up a power project at Adra. We will soon launch a massive campaign for this project," opposition leader in the state Assembly and Trinamool Congress MLA, Partha Chatterjee, said.  Trinamool Congress too said that with her half-a-dozen ministers of state in the Union government including 19 MPs, Mamata won’t find it too difficult to implement the project. She’ll get more than one-and-a-half years to implement the project as elections to the state assembly are likely to be held in March-April 2011.  About half a dozen West Bengal officials are camping in Lalgarh and busy hearing about tribal problems even though police action against the Maoists continues. The state government also plans to issue ration cards to the Lalgarh tribals on the spot. Such measures are being made to neutralise the tribals’ misgivings against the state government. There’s no doubt that Mamata is also aware of the Left Front government’s effort to woo the tribals and intended to counter the same.  In order to appease the minority population, Mamata has also included the students of madrasas, high madrasas and senior madrasas to obtain railway concessions. Students belonging to minority community will also enjoy concessions while using the Kolkata Metro Railway. Mamata’s move is being seen as a move to counter the Left Front government’s very recent move to set up a separate school service commission for minority community.  Mamata also intends o express her solidarity with the people of Singur and Nandigram who had played a very crucial role in her fight against the forcible land acquisition by the CPI-led government while drafting her budget. She has announced a rail connectivity project between the two apart from connecting Salboni and Jhargram via Belpahari and Lalgarh.  Mamata has announced in her budget 53 rail connectivity proposals of which 22 are in West Bengal. In fact, Mamata has attempted to implement some of her promises she made in her election manifesto for the just-concluded lok sabha polls.  For example, she had promised to develop Digha as much more attractive tourist spot and for the purpose, she has proposed to set up a rail connect between Digha and Puri via Jaleswar. Similarly the proposed railway links between Bishnupur and Mukutmanipur, Namkhana-Bakkhali, Kakdwip-Sagar-Kapilmuni temple; Chalsa-Jaldhaka and Mirik-Gangtok will certainly boost tourism in West Bengal.  Mamata has also proposed to set up a land bank, but made it very clear that she would not require to acquire land for the purpose. The railway minister who had spearheaded her agitation against the Left Front government by making the forcible land acquisition the key issue, is well aware about the fact that acquisition of land for her projects might trigger political controversy.  There is no doubt that the ruling Marxists in West Bengal will find it hard to regain their lost ground once Mamata manages to start implementing her projects in the state.

Railway Budget 2009-10: Mamata Banerjee's Bengal bonanza

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee’s gravy train for Bengal was predictably loaded with goodies. New manufacturing units, a 1000 mw power plant, a boost to the Eastern Industrial Corridor and creation and utilisation of Railways land bank. 

In one masterstroke, she has managed to project a ‘pro-industry’ image not just in her home state, but pan-India. That will perhaps be the lasting impression of her 2009-10 budget proposals, long after the euphoria about new non-stop trains fade out. 

To start with, Ms Banerjee has proposed at least two new big projects for the state as part of her move to boost railway infrastructure. Setting up of a new factory at the Kanchrapara-Halisahar Railway complex with annual capacity of 500 EMU/MEMU and Metro coaches per annum in joint venture in public-private partnership mode. One big advantage is that railway land is already available for this project, she said. 

She also proposed a plan to set up a 1000 mw thermal plant at Adra with the power ministry, to avail of traction supply at economical rates. The plant would come up in an under-developed tribal zone near the Jharkhand-Bengal border. She said, this project would help provide employment and bring the tribal people into the mainstream. 

The railway minister dwelt at large on what is clearly the Railway’s most ambitious project -- the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors. The project may have been proposed during her predecessor Lalu Prasad’s regime, but she clearly stole the thunder by dedicating a substantial part of her speech to it. This and her overall reliance on PPPs seem to have gone down well with industry. 

Reactions and Reviews on Rail Budget 2009-10

The interim Rail Budget for the fiscal year 2009-10 was unveiled in Parliament by the Railway Minister Sh. Lalu Prasad Yadav on 13th. February, 2009. There has been mixed reactions to this years Rail Budgetwhere some sections of the society have welcomed people-friendly announcements like introduction of new trains and a cut in the passenger fares by 2%, at the same time the Railway Minister has got condemned in his approach to the Rail Budget as an election gimmick. 

Read the latest comments on Rail Budget

“By stepping up spending for financial year 2009-10 to Rs 37,900 crore and by proposing a massive investment for the eleventh plan period, the railways could set the growth trigger for certain sectors like steel, engineering and construction.” 
said Mr. Harish Pati Singhania, President FICCI

“I am not happy that the budget did not roll back the freight hikes imposed on coal and cement transportation recently. Also its disappointing that the cause of the environment was not helped by extending freight concessions to fly ash, slag and green products” 
said Mr. Sumit Banerjee, CEO, ACC Cement 

“Lalu's rail budget is an election gimmick”
said Ms. Mamta Banerjee, Trinamool Congress chief

“We were expecting reduction in railways freight as only then would we have been able to export more. Since the last budget, freight rates have been increased by over 50 percent.”
said Mr. RK Sharma- Secretary General, Federation of Indian MineralIndustries

“The Interim Rail Budget has been pretty flat one, there haven't been any direct benefits for the industry as such but certain indirect benefits are looking bright.”
said Mr. Ankit Miglani, Director (Commercial) at Uttam Galva Steels

“It is a positive move that the dedicated freight corridor on the Ludhiana-Kolkata route would be inaugurated by the end of this month. The rail freight sector is expected to get a boost, with the railways deciding to introduce new high-capacity wagons.” 
said Mr. D.P. Agarwal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Group TCI, a freight container company 

“The announcement of Rs 37,900 crore investments in 2009-10 is not encouraging enough. Many railway projects just get inaugurated. Project implementation is a far cry.” 
said Mr. RD Sharma, Chairman, Kalindee Rail Nirmal (Engineers)

Rail Budget (2009-10- Presented By Ms. Mamta Banerjee

Rail Budget 2009 - India Looks upto Ms. Mamta Banerjee

Amidst huge expectations Ms. Mamta Banerjee is all geared up to present her third Rail Budget on 3rd July, 2009. People of India look upon the new Railway Minister to present a people-friendly budget, introduce new trains, improve the services inside trains and railway stations, connect to new routes and most importantly refrain from a hike in passenger fairs. for more reviews 

"We are proud of the Indian Railways" ~ Mamta Banerjee








Unique Ways of Mamta Banerjee



• Mamta Banerjee arrived in parliament on her personal Maruti Zen instead of the official car alloted to her.


• Mamta breaks away from the 'briefcase' tradition and brings the budget papers in a jhola (cloth-bag).




Live Updates On Rail Budget



• Mamta Bonanza: No change in Passenger Fares.


• Freight Rates untouched.


• One Doctor to be available on long distance trains to attend to passenger/staff medical emergencies.


• Ticket booking services to open in 800 new locations.


• 5000 Post Offices pan India to provide Railway ticket booking facility.


• 'Turant AC' sleeper trains to be introduced between major metros.


• Rs 1750 crore to be spent on Gauge conversion.


• Students to receive a 60% concession on train tickets.


• Non-stop trains to be operational soon on select routes.


• 50 Railway Stations to be built at par with international standards.


• Extension of 'Ladies Special' trains to major metros like Delhi,Kolkata Chennai.


• 50% concession for Scribes.


• Rs 81685 crore to be the estimated working expenditure.


• Kachrapara, Bengal to get new coach factory.


• Scholarship schemes for Girl child of Group B Railway employees.


• Women commandos to be increased in key routes.


• Physically challenged passengers to be accomodated in specially designed coaches.


• Increase in utility stores such as PCO/STD/ISD booths and book stores.


• Increased emphasis on security (platform and train).


• Catering facilities to be upgraded in order to address growing number of passenger complaints/feedback.


• SMS updates for waiting list status.


• Tatkal booking scheme reduced from 5 days to 2 days.


• Setting up of ATMs on 200 stations identified.


• High capacity double decker AC trains to be introduced on select routes.


• Railwas will no longer be guided by economic viability but social commitment said Mamta Banerjee.


• Cold storage facilities to be developed for farmers storing vegetables and fruits.


• New Hospitals to be Opened up for Hospital Staff.


• Indian Railways to lease out land for commercial purposes to increase revenue.

Mamata eyes electoral gain through Rail Budget

In the first Railway Budget of its second term, the Congress-led UPA has clearly given precedence to politics, with an eye on forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                                New Delhi: From targeting key political constituencies like women, youth and minorities to deviating from predecessor Lalu Yadav’s vision for the sector and paying special attention to her home state, Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday presented the first railway budget of the newly elected government with an eye on gaining electoral strength and political supremacy.

In the first Railway Budget of its second term, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has clearly given precedence to politics, with an eye on forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.

“It is purely a populist budget with a clear political message which is loud and clear,” said Kamal M Chenoy, political analyst and professor at the Jawahar Lal Nehru University. “The railway minister seems to have gone as far as she could. Monthly passes for unorganized sector workers would have clear implications but the challenge for the government, which is manifested in the budget document, is to do a balancing act,” he said.

The Rail Budget aims at tapping youth — a constituency the Congress has been focussing on and which Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi lays special emphasis on, by introducing special trains for ‘gen-next’. With youth being the flavour of the season, the railway minister has introduced low-cost, air-conditioned ‘Yuva Trains’ dedicated to it. The trains, with only sitting accommodation, will also benefit low-income groups — yet another critical section of the votebank.

Riding on its social sector programmes, the Congress came back to power in the general election in May with a resounding victory, winning 206 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats on its own, while the UPA won 263 seats. Continuing with this mandate, the government has decided to cater to minorities, women and the economically backward in the Railway Budget, with inclusion being the underlying theme.

According to the railway minister, better representation will be given to these sections in railway recruitment. A ladies’ special will be introduced in suburban trains during peak hours.

In an obvious attempt to woo minorities and re-capture the political space that had come to be occupied by regional parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), this Rail Budget has offered sops that also cover students of Madrassas — Islamic religious schools, to whom students concessions will now be extended.

Targetting the farming community, railways will develop cold storages for farmers to store vegetables and fruits.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee who is also the Trinamool Congress chief and was responsible for the Left front’s rout in West bengal in the Lok Sabha election, has designed the budget according to her own political concerns as well, say experts.

By doling out special sops to her home state, Mamata Banerjee has laid the ground for the 2011 assembly elections in West Bengal. A new coach factory with state-of-the-art facilities, exclusively for manufacturing 500 coaches per annum to be set up at Kanchrapara in West Bengal. Concessional monthly season tickets to students in Kolkata will be applicable for travel in the Kolkata Metro Rail also.