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Wednesday, February 24, 2010 (23:07:13) |
| Tags : Ralway Budget, West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee |
Mamata Banerjee's 4th Railway Budget reaches the conclusion |
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New Delhi: The Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is on course to present the Railway Budget for the 2010-11 fiscal. The budget promises a new business model that will encourage private investment with social commitment. She said "Our objective is inclusive growth," she told the Lok Sabha, lower house of parliament, adding her main consideration in this year's budget was social responsibility rather than mere commercial viability of projects. Here are some of the highlights:
No increase in passenger fares
Rs.100 reduction in freight per wagon for fertilisers and kerosene
Free travel for cancer patients in 3rd AC classes
Cost-sharing in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode in some gauge-conversion projects
Further extension of Kolkata Metro on priority basis; stations to be named after Bahadur Shah Zafar, Tagore family
Karmabhoomi trains to be introduced for migrant labour
New Janmabhoomi train between Ahmedabad and Udhampur
Special "Bharat Teertha" train to be run around India to commemorate Rabindranath Tagore's 150th birth anniversary
Railway line to be extended from Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh to Leh in Jammu and Kashmir
Andaman and Nicobar Islands to get railway line from Port Blair to Diglipur
Sikkim capital Gangtok to be connected by rail from Rangpo
2011 being 150th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, special train to be run from West Bengal to Bangladesh
Impact of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations placed at Rs.55,000 crore
Gross earnings in 2009-10 estimated at Rs.88,281 crore
Working expenditure in 2009-10 estimated at Rs.83,440 crore
Expenses during 2010-11 estimated at Rs.87,100 crore
Thrust on expansion in 2010-11 with allocation of Rs.4,411 crore
Kashmir role link to be extended to Sopore
Net profit of Rs.1,328 crore in 2009-10
10 automobile ancillary hubs to be created
Twenty-two million energy saving CFLs for lighting distributed already
Policy decision to employ one member of family whose land is requisitioned for railway projects
North-south, east-west dedicated freight corridors to be created
Construction of high-speed passenger rail corridors envisaged
More multi-functional hospitals to be set up
Educational facilities to be set up for children of 80,000 women families
Special facilities to be established for gangmen
Insurance facilities for licensed porters as part of railway's corporate social responsibility
Centre for railway research to be established with Indian Institutes of Technology and Defence Research and Deevelopment Organisation
Will involve unions in policy making
Integral Coach Factory Chennai to be further modernised
New wagon repair shop in Mumbai
Design, development and testing centre for railway wheels at Bangalore
Within five years, all unmanned level crossings to be manned
Construction of more underpasses, besides road overbridges
Greater coordination with state governments to protect railway property
Security of women passengers to be improved
Ex-servicemen to be employed in Railway Protection Force
Five sports academies to be set up; astroturf to be provided for development of hockey; employment opportunities for sports persons
Railways to be lead partner for Commonwealth Games
Special drive to increase passenger amenities
Upgradation of 94 stations
Six new drinking water bottling plants in public-private partnership (PPP) mode
Modern toilets at railway stations
More ticketing centres to help the public
Acquisition of cutting edge safety technology
1,000 route km to be created
Special task force for clearing investment proposals in 100 days
New business model to be created
No privatisation; railways will remain with government but with greater participation of business community
117 of 120 new trains for current fiscal to be flagged off (IANS)
Union Railway minister Mamata Banerjee is all set to present the Railway Budget today in the Parliament. A number of projects for West Bengal are expected to be announced in this year's railway budget to consider the fact that elections in the state is going to take place next year. The Trinamool Congress chief had placed 24 major projects before the Cabinet for clearance and out of them, 14 projects were for her state. Ms Banerjee has managed to get a nod from the finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for the required funds few days ago after she was seen down in tears owing to Mukherjee's strict refusal to approve some of her proposed plans.
In a bid to extend support to the residents of North Bengal Ms Banerjee has allocated some of the new projects for that region. It is to be noted that Congress is still the stronghold in North Bengal and TMC is yet to make any marked impact in the region.
The Minister has also planned to develop a chain of hospitals and educational institutions to be set up on railway land. Majority of them are planned for Bengal. According to the reports, 9 of the 41 hospitals including medical colleges will be developed in the state.
Such steps are aimed at wiping away the common image that people have about her.
After her opposition to Nano project in Singur many had started to consider her as anti-industry and anti-development. |
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