http://biz.zeenews.com/budget2011/story.aspx?

newsid=333

The financial health of the Indian Railways is weak. How can the new projects she announced be executed without any financial support," BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde asked. the budget has been prepared keeping in view the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, where Banerjee`s Trinamool Congress is in opposition. But even then there is nothing in the railway budget for the next year, he said. Of the 82 new trains, 12 trains are for Kerala. Is this not a giant slice for Kerala? Besides, the Palakkad coach factory will soon be a reality and the wagon manufacturing factory near Alappuzha is through," Chennithala said.

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/economy/railway-budget-2011-12-thehighlights_526073.html

It's yet another populist Railway Budget from Mamata Banerjee. The Railway Minister left passenger fares and freight rates unchanged even as she promised an investment of Rs 57,630 crore into the railways in financial year 2012. This move comes in at a time when the railways finances are deteriorating. However, the minister said that the financial health of the railways would be brought back on track in the next financial year with Rs 5,258 crore of excess funds.

Highlights of Railway Budget 2010-11:

y y y y y y y y y

No increase in passenger fares and freight tariffs Service charges on e-tickets reduced E-ticket vans to be extended to Government Medical College Hospitals, Courts, Universities, IT hubs, IITs and IIMs SMS updates of reservation status and movement of wagons Ticket centres to be opened at district headquarters and village panchayats 100% concession for cancer patients alongwith an escort Modern luggage trolleys with uniformed attendants to assist senior citizens and women passengers Six clean bottling plants to provide cheaper, clean drinking water to passengers 12 companies of women RPF personnel, Mahila Vahini, for the security of women passengers

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y

No examination fee for women, minority and economically backward class candidates for Railway Recruitment Boards exams Question papers now will be made available in local state languages besides Hindi, Urdu and English, examinations will be held on the same day in all regions 117 new train projects to be flagged off by the end of March 2010 52 long distance express trains and 28 passenger trains to be introduced Frequency of 12 trains will be increased and 21 trains will be extended Special trains to mark Rabindranath Tagores 150th birth anniversary, for ladies, for uniformed persons and for tourists Double-decker coaches to be introduced in two trains each from Delhi and Kolkata 94 stations to be upgraded as Adarsh Stations, 10 more stations to be upgraded as World Class Stations Automatic fire and smoke detection system to be introduced in 20 trains All the unmanned Level Crossings (LCs) to be manned within five years Rs.41,426 crore outlay proposed, allocation for new lines increased to Rs.2,848 crore from Rs.4,411 crore More money to improve passenger amenities Rs.1,302 crore in comparision to Rs.923 crorein 2009-10 Railway revenue through branding/advertising to go up from Rs.150 crore to Rs.1,000 Special Task Force to clear investment proposals within 100 days Concession in freight charges for food-grains and domestic use kerosene Kisan Vision Project for manufacturing refrigerated containers Allotment of iron ore rakes would be accessible through the web.RFID technology to be introduced for tracking of wagons Multi-level parking complexes through PPP route 93 new multi-functional complexes to be developed National High Speed Rail Authority proposed to plan high speed rail corridor Houses for all rail employees in next 10 years 522 hospitals, 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 10 residential schools, model degree colleges, technical and management institutes for railway employees