Provision For Railway's Fund In Budget

Provision For Railway's Fund In Budget

 The amount allocated and utilized for passenger safety, capital and development work, cleanliness and finance and accounting reforms in Railways in the financial year 2016-17 is indicated below :

Items	Revised Estimate 2016-17	Actual Expenditure 2016-17
Passenger Safety	63063.00	55918.00
Capital & Development Work	121000.00	110015.60
Cleanliness	1080.81	1008.46
Finance & Accounting Reforms	26.68	28.22

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on 15.12.2017 (Friday).

PIB

200 more railway stations to have Wi-Fi in 2017

200 more railway stations to have Wi-Fi in 2017

Thiruvananthapuram: As part of its programme to upgrade facilities for rail users, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said here today that 200 more stations and some additional trains would be providedwith Wi-Fi in 2017.

Dedicating six Wi-Fi facilities to rail users at Kannur, Ernakulam and Kollam at a function here, he said 100 stations had been fitted with Wi-Fi this year and the target was to double this number in 2017.
“More trains will also would be provided with Wi-Fi next year,” he said.

“The objective is to have Wi-Fi facility in all railway stations in small cities and towns,” he said.
The Minister said steps were also on to construct escalators in stations, he said.

Welcoming the Kerala government’s decision to sign a Joint Venture with Railways for development projects in the state, he said that as partners, the railways would be developed in the state.

“The Centre and state will have equity in the venture and funds for the projects will be raised through market borrowings with the consent of the state government,” he said.

The resources spent under the JV would be in addition to funds earmarked in the Railway budget, he added.

Stating that investment in railway infrastructure can bring development to its optimum level in Kerala, Prabhu said he had asked some banks to prepare a business plan for the state.
Prabhu admitted that there was a lack of railway investment in Kerala and saidthe NDA government’s move was to reverse that trend.

Referring to remittances to the state from Non-Resident Keralites, he said even they could invest in railway projects.

“They can develop a railway station”, he said, adding that the key objective was to join hands for development.

The Railways was also looking out for resources other than its normal revenue.

They were also looking into the possibility of coverting its hospitals as medical college hospitals, he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and G Sudhakaran, PWD Minister and in charge of Railways were among those present.

PTI

Railway Budget merger with General Budget will have positive effects

Railway Budget merger with General Budget will have positive effects

Railways today maintained that the merger of its budget with General Budget will have no adverse effect on its functioning and there will be positive outcome as the exchequer support to the national transporter will increase henceforth.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu will not present a separate Rail Budget for the fiscal 2017-18 in the coming budget session in Parliament as the government has decided to do away with the year-long tradition of having it separately.

“Merger of Rail Budget has positive implications. It is very simple, no adverse implication and only positive implication,” Railway Board Chairman A K Mittal said at the Edotors’ conference here.

He said the Railways will no longer pay dividends to the exchequer which is a gain for the organisation.

Railways receieve gross budgetary support from the Finance Ministry and in return pay dividends on it.

“We have paid about Rs 9500 cr as dividends this year but now we do not have to pay dividends any longer after the merger,” Mital said.

Comparing with other transporter sectors, he said investment in railways was much less than the road sector over the years and as a result rail sector was languishing for the lack of infrastructure development.

“The investment in road sector was twice more than the rail sector. But now we hope a holistic approach will be adopted by the government for the whole transport sector including railways, road, waterways and others,” he said.

Asked about the possibilities of announcement of any tie-up with Japan on rail sector during the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing Japan trip, he said “further discussion of Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail project is expected to come up.”

Japan is providing financial and technology support to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

On the demonitisation crisis, he was asked whether ticket counters are being used to convert black money to white and he said “Railways is in the buisness of carrying passengers and goods and is not for changing the colour of the money.”

After the demonitisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, ticket counters all over the country are witnessing heavy rush as people are using these notes to buy tickets and subsequently cancelling them to encash smaller denomination notes.

“Some people might think of that way. But now the refund will go to their account only,” he said.

Railways has decided to give refund money worth Rs 10,000 or above to the customers bank accounts.

Cabinet approves merging of Rail budget with Union Budget

Cabinet approves merging of Rail budget with Union Budget

New Delhi: In a major overhaul, the Cabinet today approved advancing presentation of the annual Budget by a month, scrapped over nine decade old tradition of having a separate Railway Budget and removed classifications for expenditure to make the exercise simpler.

With a view to get all the legislative approvals for the annual spending and tax proposals before the beginning of the new financial year on April 1, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved advancing date for presentation of the General Budget by a month instead of present practice of unveiling it at the end of February.

The Cabinet also approved merging Railway Budget with the general Budget and doing away with distinction of plan and non plan expenditure, officials said.

To facilitate this, the Budget Session of parliament will be called sometime before January 25, a month ahead of the current practice.

Accordingly, the beginning of budget preparation will be advanced to early October and GDP estimates made available on January 7 instead of February 7 now.

Till now Budget was presented on the last day of February and it is not until mid-May that the Parliament approves it in two parts. And with the monsoon arriving in June, most of the schemes and spendings by states do not take off until October, leaving just half a year for their implementation.

Early presentation of Budget would mean that the entire exercise is over by March 31, and expenditure as well as tax proposals come into effect right from the beginning of new fiscal, thereby ensuring better implementation.

Also, the 92 year old practice of presenting a separate budget for Railways has been scrapped and proposals pertaining to it would now form part of the General Budget.

This would lead to presentation of a single Appropriation Bill, including the estimates of Ministry of Railways, thereby saving precious time of Parliament by not having to hold separate consideration and passing of two Appropriation Bills.

The Cabinet also approved removal of distinction between Plan and Non Plan expenditure as the present classification resulted in excessive focus on former with almost equivalent neglect to items such as maintenance which are classified as non Plan.

The Cabinet felt it is the total expenditure, irrespective of Plan or Non-Plan, that generates value for the public. Plan expenditure was for the first time presented separately in the budget for 1959 to 1960.

PTI

NFIR: Highly disappointing Rail Budget 2016

Railway Minster did not make any announcement for making payment of PL Bonus at revised rate of 7000

 NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110 055

Press Statement

Highly disappointing Rail Budget

 

The National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) expresses its serious disappointment over the Rail Budget (2016-17) presented by Shri Suresh Prabhu, Railway Minister in the Parliament on 25th February 2016. According to the President and General Secretary NFIR Shri Guman Singh and Raghavaiah, the Rail Budget document is “towards journey for privatization of Indian Railways in the name of transformation”. It is sad to note that the Railway Minister has not given due recognition to the dedicated services being rendered by various categories of Railway employees who toil hard day and night.

NFIR leaders said that the Rail Budget is totally uninspiring and on the contrary generating resentment among Railway employees as the aim of the Budget is to “aggressively implement privatization, outsourcing” of regular Railway activities.

NFIR expressed its unhappiness as the commitments given by the previous Railway Ministers thro’ Budget announcements have not been fulfilled notably: Free Medical treatment to the dependant parents of Railway employees and construction of New Railway quarters under the corporate welfare plan drawn up years back by the Railway Ministry. The announcement of previous Railway Ministers on the floor of the Parliament that “House for all” has unfortunately been forgotten.

It is quite disappointing that although the Bonus Act has been amended w.e.f. 01.10.4.2014 for calculation of Bonus rates to Rs. 7000/- p.m., the Railway Minster did not make any announcement for making payment of PL Bonus to Railway employees at revised rate of Rs. 7000/- p.m. for the year 2014-15.

NFIR said that the condition of Railway colonies and Railway quarters are totally deteriorated. The Rail Budget has not addressed this welfare aspect adequately.

The Federation expresses its anguish over the failure of Railway Ministry in filling up vacancies of 2.5 lakh vacancies in Railways, out of which over 1.5 lakh vacancies belong to safety categories.

The Federation also expresses its unhappiness over the non-allocation of adequate resources for improving the Railway Hospitals, Health Units and creating Super Specialty facilities atleast in the Zonal Railway Hospitals. The long pending demand of NFIR for making provision of Road Mobile Medical Vans for ensuring Medical treatment to the Railway employees working at remote places, jungle areas, has not been given due priority in the Rail Budget.

NFIR is also of the view that the Rail Budget has not satisfied any section of people.

sd/-
(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

Ministry of Railways Invites Suggestions from the Public Regarding the Forthcoming Railway Budget 2016-17

Ministry of Railways Invites Suggestions from the Public Regarding the Forthcoming Railway Budget 2016-17

Ministry of Railway has invited suggestions from the public regarding the forthcoming Railway Budget 2016-17. The suggestions can be given online on the website of Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) with the URL http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/. The icon with the Title “Public Suggestions on Forthcoming Railway Budget 2016-17” is available on the home page itself on the website.

The suggestions can be given on 15 Heads(with many sub heads) namely Computerization, Electrical, Electrification of lines, Finance, Foot over Bridges, Freight (Traffic Requirements Sidings, Rake Handling facility), Infrastructure(Freight Corridors, High Speed Corridors, Port and Mine Connectivity, PPP Initiatives), Innovative Ideas, Land(Commercial Utilisation of land, Station Development), Railway Lines(New Lines, Gauge conversion, Doubling, Doubling), Road over/ Under Bridges, Suggestions on Crime prevention, Suggestions on Safe running of Trains/Disaster Management, Tourism Related, Trains(New Trains, Extension of Trains, Augmentation of Trains, Frequency of Trains, Tourist Trains, Pantry Cars & Catering)

The last date of submission is 15th January, 2016.

Pre-Rail Budget Meeting of the Railway Federations with Hon’ble MoSR

Pre-Rail Budget Meeting of the Railway Federations with Hon’ble MoSR
No.AIRF/60

Dated: February 23, 2015

The General Secretaries,
All Affiliated Unions,
Dear Comrades,

Sub: Pre-Rail Budget Meeting of the Railway Federations with Hon’ble MoSR

Today Presidents and General Secretaries/Secretary Generals of all the Recognized Federations of the Railwaymen met Hon’ble MoSR and handed him over following significant suggestions for including the same in the forthcoming Rail Budget 2015-16:-

The government is concerned about the safety and welfare of its workers and officers, serving round-the-clock to transport passengers and freight from one end to other end of the country.
The following burning issues may be considered favourably:-

• Maintenance/repair cost of more than 60% over-aged staff quarters has gone considerably higher. As such, present allotment of budget for maintenance of railway quarters may be increased by 30%. Please take steps to improve the condition of the Drivers/Guards Running Rooms, Barracks, TTEs Rest Rooms, Subordinate Rest Houses also.
  
• Smart Card Medical Facilities are requested to be extended to all the Railwaymen.
  
• Vacancies of Safety Category posts may be filled-up in the larger interest of safe-rail operation.
  
• Scope of the LARSGESS for Safety Categories, which has been found to be very useful, may be extended to all Group `C’ categories.
  
• The government proposes to introduce “House and Education for all”. For this purpose, vacant railway land at various stations may be utilized, and the Ministry of Urban Development be approached to construct houses for the Railwaymen, and easy home loans may be provided through the Banks and Railway Schemes.
  
• The government has decided to open Medical and Engineering Colleges, Universities for the children of its workforce. The same may be extended to the Railwaymen as well.
  
• The government is concerned about the welfare of the Railwaymen and their families and dependants. Parents of the Railwaymen may be granted Railway Pass and Medical facilities.
  
• Quasi-administrative staff, working in the Federation/Union Offices, who are availing Railway Pass and Medical facilities may kindly be absorbed in the Railways.
  
• As the then Hon’ble Minister for Railways has already written a letter to the then Hon’ble Finance Minister to implement Old Pension Scheme in place of National Pension Scheme(NPS), and for that it has also been written that financial provisions will be made by the Railways itself. Therefore, it is requested that provisions for the same should be made in this Rail Budget.
  
• Repealing of RPF Amendment Act, 2001 should be implemented to give powers to the RPF.
  
• Railway Federations and Associations have been expressing their concern on outsourcing and FDI in the Railways. This has been considered by the government, and the Hon’ble Prime Minister has already announced that there is no intention for privatization of the Indian Railways. Keeping in view prevailing cordial industrial relations, it is requested to re-call the instructions of the government on FDI in the Indian Railways.

Yours faithfully,

(Shiva Gopal Mishara)
General Secretary

Source: http://www.nrmu.net

AIRF secretary writes a letter to Railway Minister in protest against the Railway Budget

Com. Shiva Gopal Mishra GS/AIRF has written letter to Railway Minister in protest against the Railway Budget.

A.I.R.F
All India Railwaymen’s Federation

4, State Entry Road,
New Delhi.-110055

D.O.No. AIRF/60

Dated: July 14, 2014

Resp. Shri Sadananda Gowda Ji,

Sub: Rail Budget 2014-15

We are very much pained and constrained on the Rail Budget 2014-15, presented by you in the floor of the Lok Sabha.

I had given you a memorandum consisting of suggestions related to Rail Budget, but unfortunately none of them could get place in this Rail Budget, and by and large there is nothing motivational and inspiring for the Railwaymen in the said Rail Budget. This has happened after a long time.

Moreover, direction of the said Rail Budget is towards privatization, and the announcement of Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) in the Railways has created lot of resentment among the Railwaymen. All India Railwaymen’s Federation(AIRF) in its General Council Meeting, held at Chennai on 3-4 July, 2014, unanimously adopted a resolution to oppose all kinds of privatization in the Railways.

AIRF is a recognized federation and having a wider support among 13 lakh Railway employees. We always expect from the Railway Board that before making any announcement, which may change the face/ownership of the Railways, the matter must be discussed transparently with the Federation. But in the matter of FDI and PPP, no discussion has been made with the recognized federations.

If any decision detrimental to the interest of Railway Industry, Railwaymen in particular and the Rail users in general, takes place, we will have no other alternative, but to organize sustained struggle to save the Indian Railways.

In this Rail Budget, something also has been said about the Restructuring of the Railways. Earlier also there had been similar talks of Railway Restructuring through Rakesh Mohan and Prakash Tandan Committees and also under various modes.

We know that, the Planning Commission in the past also tried to privatize the Indian Railways but they could not do so because of pressure from the Railway workers as well as rail users.

I know that, as “Opposition”, at that time, the BJP had also opposed the idea of Privatization and FDI. There should not be any change in that stand on coming into power.

Since lot of demoralization and de-motivation are going down the line among the Railway employees, who are very sensitive and working round-the-clock to keep operative country’s lifeline. It would be appreciated, if a dialogue is organized with the recognized federations, representing 13 lakh Railway employees, at an earliest to clarify various issues, taking the Railways to a different direction.

I do hope, you will take this communication in a very justify perspective because the AIRF throughout the years, after 1974, has tried to maintain industrial peace and still stands for the same, but such announcements may create a breach of industrial peace.

Therefore, an early dialogue is requested.

With kind regards!
Yours Sincerely,
sd/-
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary

Source : AIRF

Railway Budget to focus on passenger amenities

Railway Budget to focus on passenger amenities

Keeping passenger amenities and comfort as its top priorities, railways have proposed a new design coach with improved furnishings and house keeping scheme in coaches in the Rail Budget 2014-15.

The national transporter is also proposing to introduce intensive mechanised cleaning of coaches, clean train station scheme and comprehensive pest and rodent control treatment as part of measures to provide a comfortable journey to passengers.

Source: PTI

Genuine Demands of Railway Employees for Railway Budget 2014-15 AIRF

Genuine Demands of Railway Employees for Railway Budget 2014-15 AIRF 

Railway Budget 2014-15 – Suggestions of AIRF

All India Railwaymen’s Federation
4, State Entry Road,
New Delhi – 110055

No.AIRF/60

Dated: June 28, 2014

Hon’ble Minister for Railways,
Ministry of Railways,
(Government of India),
New Delhi
Respected Sir,


Sub: Rail Budget 2014-15 – AIRF’s suggestions

All India Railwaymen’s Federation(AIRF), the largest federation of the Ministry of Railways, would like to place following general and genuine demands of the Railwaymen and their dependents for inclusion in the forthcoming Rail Budget 2014-15.

1. The former Hon’ble Minister for Railways had made a number of announcements in regard to various Welfare Schemes while presenting successive Rail Budgets, that include opening of Medical Colleges, Nursing Colleges, Central Schools, Technical Institutions etc. was made. In addition. In addition, “Own Your House Scheme” and provision of Mobile Medical Van for treatment of Railway Staff and their families posted on roadside station, was also announced by them for the Railwaymen. It is unfortunate that the above schemes have yet not been seen the light of the day due to one reason or the other and no proper budget allocation is made for implementation of the same.

Ref.: (i) Para 32 of Hon’be MR’s Rail Budget Speech for the year 2009-10 in respect of setting up of Nursing College and Medical Colleges.
Ref.: (ii) Para 50 of Hon’be MR’s Rail Budget Speech for the year 2010-11 – Setting up of hospitals and educational institutions on surplus railway land.
Ref.: (iii) Para 61 of Hon’be MR’s Rail Budget Speech for the year 2011-12 in respect of setting up of Polytechnics

With a view to secure trust and believe of more than 13 lakh Railwaymen in the Railway Ministry, it would be quite appropriate that necessary budgetary provision is ensured in the forthcoming Rail Budget for the year 2014-15, so that there is some visible progress in this regard.

2. Extension of LARSGESS
The “Liberalized Active Retirement Scheme for Guaranteed Employment of Safety Staff” (LARSGESS) was introduced in the year 2010, modifying the “Safety Related Voluntary Retirement Scheme” in vogue, that came into effect in the year 2005.
This LARSGESS Scheme has been working quite successfully and satisfactorily in maintaining safety standards on the Indian Railways and has equally been found economically viable also, as such the scope of this scheme needs to be extended to cover all Safety Categories Staff working in GP up Rs.4600.

3. Improvement in the condition of Railway Colonies, roads and Running/Rest Rooms
A large number of Railway quarters are over-aged and their maintenance/repair is not practicable due to abnormally high cost. Due to paucity of sufficient funds, neither proper maintenance/repair of the Railway quarters is being managed nor new quarters built in replacement of the old-aged ones. The roads and drainage system in the Railway Colonies is also in very depleted condition. Similar is the condition of most of the Drivers/Guard’s Running Rooms, TTEs Rest Rooms, Subordinate Rest Houses and Rest Rooms for other Railways staff, as a result of which, these staff are not able to take proper rest therein.
Adequate funds needs to be allocated for improvement in the condition of Railway Colonies, Running Rooms, Rest Houses, Rest Rooms etc. as also for provision of separate Ladies Running Rooms/Rest Rooms, Toilets and Change Room for Women Railway Employees.

4. Improvement in medical facilities
Railway Health Services are getting deteriorated day-by-day due to non-availability of adequate number of Railway doctors, paramedical staff and infrastructure. Even life saving medicines are at times not being provided to Railway beneficiaries on account of paucity of resources. Proper allocation of funds for overall improvement in Railway Health Services is, therefore, required to be made so as to engage Specialist Doctors, paramedical staff and availability of proper quality of medicines, particularly life saving medicines from reputed firms. Sufficient number of specialized private or semi-government hospitals are also required to be recognized for treatment of Railway beneficiaries at all important stations.

The already announced “Smart Card” facility for getting cashless treatment in recognized hospitals has not yet been implemented despite lapse of sufficient time, as such this facility be introduced immediately for all existing and retired Railway employees so that they are able to get hassle-free treatment in emergency.
In the wake of present Central Government’s scheme to open Medical Colleges in all the district hospitals, all the Divisional Hospitals in the Railways should also be considered for opening of Associated Medical Colleges, wherein facilities available in this hospitals, like doctors, paramedical staff and other medical facilities can be made use of, because the Divisional Hospitals mostly cover more than one district.
There should be no age bar for getting treatment from the Railway Hospitals/Referral Hospitals for the wards of the Railwaymen, and the same should continue till marriage of the daughter or employment of the son without any age limit.

5. Filling up of Safety Category Posts
It is seen that despite several assurances by the Ministry of Railways, around 1.5 lakh Safety Category Posts always remain unfilled, which is a potential danger to the safety of rail operation. Some new mechanism, therefore, needs to be developed to fill up at least vacancies in the Safety Categories in a time bound manner, wherein priority needs to be given to the wards of the Railwaymen. This procedure was in vogue in the early 1990s

6. Extension of facilities of Privilege/Complimentary Passes
It may be recalled that, one of the former Hon’ble Ministers for Railways had announced to extend the benefit of Privilege/Complimentary Pass to both the parents of the Railwaymen and the officers, but the same is yet to be implemented. In case of Defence employees and other enterprises, both the parents are entitled to avail the facility of free travel, but not in the Railways, which is the largest transport system in our country. This needs to be implemented forthwith.

The facility of Post Retirement Complimentary Passes is being denied to all those Railway employees who could not complete 20 years of Qualifying Service due to their late entry in the Railways, either appointed on compassionate ground or absorption of Coolies, employment of Ex. Servicemen in Railways. Since all these appointments are made under special circumstances, the condition of minimum Qualifying Service of 20 years needs to be relaxed for such employees.

The age limit for entitlement of Passes also needs to be enhanced for dependent son in the present social scenario until they get employment, without any age bar.

7. Revision of New Pension Scheme
During the course of negotiations held with the Railway Board on 07.02.2014 on the 36-point Charter of Demands of the AIRF for Railway Strike, it was unanimously agreed that New Pension Scheme will be replaced with “Old/Guaranteed Pension Scheme” for those employed on or after 01.01.2004 on Indian Railways on the pattern of Defence personnel. The former Hon’ble MR had, therefore, taken up this issue with the Ministry of Finance also. Suitable measures be announced to meet the agreement arrived at between the Staff Side and the Railway Board.

8. Absorption of Quasi-Administrative Staff in the Railways
The Quasi-Administrative Staff employed on the Indian Railways be regularized and Railway Board may be instructed to restore the scheme for Quasi-Administrative Offices as being allowed in case of Railway Officers for engaging TADK/Bungalow Peon.

9. Provision of proper infrastructure and manpower while introducing new trains
New trains are being introduced as a regular measure without providing proper infrastructure and adequate manpower, resulting in increasing workload has become a safety hazard, owing to shortage of staff and improper infrastructure. Therefore, no new trains be introduced until proper infrastructure and adequate manpower is made available for running the same.
With kind regards!

sd/-
(Shiva Gopal Mishra)
General Secretary

Source : AIRF