Highlights of Budget 2019 – 2020

Highlights of Budget 2019 – 2020

Railway Budget 2019 as well as Union Budget 2019 is presenting in Parliament on July 5, 2019 by India’s first full-time women Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Modi government will lay out budget estimates and present the annual statement for Indian Railways. This is for the first time that FM Sitharaman will rise to present Railway Budget and Union Budget in Parliament.

Railway Budget 2019 – 2020 as well as Union Budget presented in July 5, 2019. Live Updates, Downloading details and Summary of Budget 2019 – 2020 are here.

Budget Highlights of Indian Railways in Union Budget 2019-20

Traffic throughput:

Freight loading target increased to 1274 Million Tonne (MT) from 1266 MT in Interim Budget. This is 58 MT incremental over Revised Estimate 2018-19 (i.e 4.8% higher) and 52.61 MT incremental over Actual (Prov) of 2018-19 (i.e. 4.3% higher).

Originating passengers increased to 8593.79 million from 8428.10 million in Interim Budget with a growth of 2.9% over Revised Estimate 2018-19 and 1.8% over Actuals (Prov) of 2018-19.

Revenue receipts:

• Passenger earnings at Rs. 56,000 cr.
• Goods earnings kept at Rs. 1,43,000 cr.
• Other Coaching earnings and Sundry other earnings kept at Rs. 6,000 cr and Rs. 11,575 cr respectively.
• Gross Traffic Receipts are thus kept at Rs. 2,16,675 cr.
• Miscellaneous receipts kept at Rs. 260 cr
• Total receipts of Indian Railways are thus kept at Rs. 2,16,935 cr.

Revenue expenditure:

• Ordinary Working Expenses (OWE) kept at Rs. 1,55,000 cr.
• Appropriation to Direct Reserve Fund (DRF) kept at Rs. 500 cr.
• Appropriation to Pension Fund from Revenue kept at Rs. 50,000 cr.
• Miscellaneous expenditure kept at Rs. 2,400 cr.

The total revenue expenditure of Indian Railways has been kept at Rs. 2,07,900 cr.

Net Revenue and Operating Ratio:

• The ‘Net’ of revenue over expenditure accordingly comes to Rs. 9,035 cr which has been appropriated to Development Fund-DF(Rs. 1,000 cr), Capital Fund (CF) (Rs. 3,035 cr) and Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) (Rs. 5,000 cr) for supplementing Indian Railway’s capital expenditure.
• Operating Ratio target is 95% against 96.2% in Revised Estimate and 97.3% in Actuals (Prov) of 2018-19.

Capital Expenditure:

Capital Expenditure in Regular Budget has been increased from Rs. 1,58,658 cr in Interim Budget to Rs. 1,60,175.64 cr (i.e. by Rs. 1517.64 cr) due to enhancement in Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) (Rs. 1250 cr) and contribution from Nirbhaya Fund (Rs. 267.64 cr). The Regular Budget Capex is higher by Rs. 26,779 cr (i.e. 20.1% higher) over Actual (Prov) of 2018-19 (Rs. 1,33,397 cr). Capex includes:

• Rs. 65,837 cr of GBS including Rs. 5,000 cr towards RRSK and Rs. 15,250 cr as Indian Railway’s share from Central Road and Infrastructure Fund-CRIF.
• Rs. 267.64 cr of Nirbhaya Fund for Integrated Emergency Response Management System-IERM (Video Surveillance System) for safety of women o­n IR and Konkan Railway.
• Rs. 10,500 cr of Internal Resources (DRF-Rs. 1,000 cr, CF-Rs. 3,000 cr,DF-Rs. 1,500 cr and RRSK-Rs. 5,000 cr).
• Rs. 29,031 cr of Extra Budgetary Resource (EBR)-Indian Railway Finance Corporation.
• Rs. 26,440 cr of EBR-IF.
• Rs. 28,100 cr ofEBR-Public Private Partnership.

• Target for commissioning new NL/GC/Doubling BG sections in 2019-20 is 3750 Route Kms against 3596 kms in Actuals of 2018-19.
• In 2019-20, Electrification of 7000 Route Kms has been targeted.

Thrust Areas of Indian Railways in Union Budget 2019-20

Maintaining the momentum o­n capacity enhancement through accelerated investments and execution-

• Railway Infrastructure would need an investment of Rs. 50 lakh crores between 2018-2030.It is proposed to use Public-Private Partnership to unleash faster development and completion of tracks, rolling stock manufacturing and delivery of passenger freight services.
• Capex for 2019-20 has been pegged at Rs 1,60,176 crore, which is 20 % higher than the previous year.
• Electrification of the entire Broad Gauge network by 2021-22. Electrification of 7000 Route Kms has been targeted in 2019-20.
• The target of new lines, gauge conversion and doubling/tripling etc. for 2019-20 is 3750 kms against 3596 kms in 2018-19.
• Fast tracking the construction of the two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC). The two DFCs are targeted to be completed in phases by 2021 out of which Khurja-Bhaupur section o­n Eastern DFC and the Rewari-Palanpur section o­n Western DFC targeted for completion this year (2019-20).
• Completing the dedicated freight corridor project will free up some of the existing railway network for passenger trains.
• Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is progressing well and is targeted for completion by 2023.
• Railways will be encouraged to invest more in suburban railways through Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) structures like Rapid Regional Transport System (RRTS) proposed o­n the Delhi-Meerut route.

Continued focus o­n Safety

• 2018-19 has been the safest year in the history of Indian Railways. Elimination of Unmanned level crossings o­n Broad Guage network has been achieved.
• Railways is now planning to eliminate all 2,568 manned level crossings o­n Golden quadrilateral and golden diagonal routes in mission mode by constructing ROBs/RUBs. These routes carry 50-60% of passenger and freight traffic. This will lead to not just easing railway movement but also road movement by ensuring safe, smooth and fast movement of vehicular traffic at level crossings.
• Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system using a mix of proven European Train Control System (ETCS) and an indigenous developed system to enhance safety, create additional capacity and increase efficiency in train operations.

Enhancing passenger experience and security.

• Launch of a massive programme of railway station modernization to make railway travel a pleasant and satisfying experience for the common citizen
• The introduction of fully indigenous semi high-speed Train-18.
• Railway has planned to provide Wi-Fi at all stations excluding halt stations to improve rail travel experience and bridge the digital divide between the rural and urban citizens. Till now this facility has been provided at 1,603 stations and balance 4,882 stations are targeted for provision by August 31, 2019 under the ambitious 100 days program of the Government.
• Railway has planned to provide CCTV based Surveillance System at all stations (excluding halt stations) and in trains by using state-of-the art video surveillance technology to enhance safety of passengers. CCTV Surveillance System at 455 railway stations have been provided and balance stations are targeted by 2020-21. Similarly, 1,203 coaches were equipped with CCTV Surveillance System and balance passenger carrying coaches are targeted by 2021-22.

Skilling Railways

Scheme of Integrated Skill Development will be launched where all 13 lakh employees of Railways will be given a foundational training. This Programme will focus o­n 3Cs – The Customer, Cost and Work Culture. Those who demonstrate high learning agility and greater skill mastery at this level can be offered an Advanced Program in the same skill area.

• Railways to be encouraged to invest more in suburban railways through SPV structures like Rapid Regional Transport System (RRTS) proposed on the Delhi-Meerut route.
• Proposal to enhance the metro-railway initiatives by: Encouraging more PPP initiatives, Ensuring completion of sanctioned works, Supporting transit oriented development (TOD) to ensure commercial activity around transit hubs.
• Rs. 50 lakh crore investment needed in Railway Infrastructure during 2018-2030.
• A massive program of railway station modernization to be launched.

July 1st 2019 on-wards Indian Railway revised the Train Time Table. Click here to get the latest New Train Time Table 2019 – 2020 details