Thursday 26 February 2015

RAILWAY BUDGET 2015 BY SURESH PRABHU


Railway Budget 2015

  • Railway Budget was presented by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on 26-02-2015

What is Railway Budget

  • Railway Budget also referred as Rail Budget is the Annual Financial Statement of the state Indian Railways, which handles rail transport in India.
  • It is presented every year by the Minister of Railways, representing the Ministry of Railways, in the parliament.
  • The Railway Budget is presented every year, a few days before the Union budget of India.

Narendra Modi on Railway Budget 2015

  • "Rail budget 2015 is a forward looking, futuristic and passenger centric budget, combining a clear vision and a definite plan to achieve it."

Key features of Railway Budget 2015

  • The most-expected part about this year's Railway Budget - there is no increase in passsenger rail fares.
  • Rs.8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years.
  • 'Operation 5 mins', wherein passengers travellling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes.
  • Bio toilets and airplane-type vaccum toilets in trains.
  • Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women's safety without compromising on privacy.
  • Rail tickets can now be booked 120 days in advance.
  • Speed on nine railway corridors to go up to 200 km per hour. 
  • Wi-Fi in more stations, mobile phone charging facilities in all train compartments.
  • Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens.
  • Satellite railway terminals in major cities.
  • Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years.
  • All india 24/7 helpline - 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security.
  • 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore.
  • Four Railway Research Centres to start in four universities.

General Knowledge and Current Affairs on Railway

  • India's first train was flagged off on Saturday, April 16, 1853 from Bori Bunder, Mumbai to Thane for a distance of 33.81 kms. 400 passengers first experienced the travel in the train of 14 coaches.
  • On Feb 3, 1925, first electric train made debut between Bombay (Victoria Terminus) and Kurla, a distance of 16 kms.

High-speed rail

In July 2014, India's first semi-high speed bullet train or high-speed train had a successful trial run from Delhi to Agra in 90 minutes only. It is likely to be fully operational in 2015, with the name of "Gatimaan Express", with a maximum speed of 200 km/h.
  • The current fastest train in India is the Bhopal Shatabdi that runs with a top speed of 150 km/h.
  • In 2000, Mamata Banerjee became the first women Railway Minister of India.
  • In the year 2002, she also became the first female Minister of Railways to present the Railway budget.
  • She holds the record of being the only women who presented the railway budget for two different governments in the centre (NDA and UPA).
  • First live telecast of railway budget took place on 24 March 1994. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who remained Railways Minister from 2004 to May 2009, presented the railway budget six times in a row.
  • In 2014 railway budget was presented by, Railway Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda. 
  • The Minister of State for Railways (feb 2015) - Shri Manoj Sinha

We would like to thanks all the faculty members of Mantram Study Group who gathered this important information regarding the Railway Budget of 2015. 

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