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Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu will present Narendra Modi government's first full-fledged Rail Budget on Thursday which may contain proposals for 'Make in India' initiatives besides enhancing safety and security.
The Railway Minister had earlier ruled out a cut in fares in the context of reduced diesel rates but he is expected to make a tightrope walk as he tries to bridge the huge gap in finances while presenting his maiden Rail Budget in the Lok Sabha.
In the first Rail Budget of the Modi government in July last year, fares were increased by 14.2 percent and freight rates by 6.5 percent.
Considered a reformer, Prabhu may lay the road map for attracting private investment for the public transporter, which badly needs funds for completion of many crucial rail projects.
As the Railway Minister has stressed on improvement in passenger amenities before increasing fares, there will be a series of measures including utilisation of CSR funds to improve amenities at rail premises.
Prabhu is expected to focus on tapping more revenue channels and could announce some innovative ways for raising resources through non-tariff methods like increasing revenues from advertisements and leveraging surplus land among others.
In line with the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign, Rail Budget 2015 is likely to give special attention to cleanliness exercise and a slew of measures like provision for dustbins in all coaches besides proposal to cover 100 more trains under 'On Board Housekeeping Services'.
Keeping with the NDA government's bullet train promise, Prabhu could announce the way forward for the ambitious high-speed train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad and survey programmes for the proposed diamond quadrilateral route.
Customer satisfaction will be a focus area of this year's Rail Budget as a series of steps including air-conditioning of Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) trains for inter-city services and noise reduction in diesel locomotive cabs are likely to be proposed, sources said.
The Railway Minister is also likely to spell out plans for joint venture mechanism for implementing projects involving state governments and other external agencies.
With agency inputs
First Published: Thursday, February 26, 2015, 05:45
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