(Image source from: Highlights of the Railway Budget 2016-17})
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented the Railway Budget 2016-17 in Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Minister said, the core objective of Indian Railways is to become an engine of economic growth, create employment and provide customer service.
"Cooperation, collaboration and communication, are the hallmarks of the Indian Railways' journey forward," the minister said, while presenting the budget. "We will be at the forefront of infrastructure investment in the country."
Highlights of the Railway Budget 2016-17
• No change in passenger fares.
• 33 per cent reservation to women in reserved quota in Railways will be introduced.
• Will increase lower berth quota for senior citizens by 50 per cent.
• Children’s menu, baby foods, baby boards to be made available for travelling mothers,
• WiFi in 100 stations this year and 400 other stations next year.
• 17,000 additional bio-toilets to be provided by the end of current fiscal.
• To have CCTV surveillance at all stations, 300 major stations covered this year.
• Enhanced capacity of e-ticketing system - from 2000 tickets a minute to 7200 a minute (to support 120,000 concurrent users).
• Will introduce sub-quota of 33% for women in each of the reserved categories in catering.
• Railway stalls to over-the-counter medicine.
• E-booking of tickets on concessional passes for journalists introduced.
• Four fold increase in advertising revenue envisaged in the next fiscal.
• Fully unreserved super fast trains coming on heavy traffic routes.
• Porters to not be called “coolies” but be called “Sahayaks” now; will be trained in soft skills.
• Overnight double-decker train Uday Express to be introduced on the busiest routes, carrying capacity to be 40 per cent more.
• North-South, East-West dedicated freight corridor proposed in Railway Budget for 2016-17.
Overall, the budget is growth oriented, that concern about senior citizens, women and children, without any hike in passenger fares.
Nandini
