Rail Budget 2013 Live: Pawan Kumar Bansal speech highlights no passenger fare hike

Rail Budget 2013 Live: Indian Railways Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in Parliament. Here are the Railways Budget speech highlights:

* 67 new express trains to be introduced.

* 27 passenger trains, 9 EMUs to be introduced.

* Dynamic fuel adjustment component to be introduced on freight rates from April one, that will result in less than five per cent increase in rates.

* An independent Rail Tariff Authority has been formalised.

* Deregulation of diesel prices and hike in electricity tariff to result in a burden of Rs 5,100 crore in 2013-14.

* 500-km new lines to be completed in 2013-14.

* Diesel price hike added Rs 3,300 crore to fuel bill of Railways.

* No passenger fare hike for the moment.

* 5 per cent average increase in freight.

* Freight earning to grow by 9 per cent to Rs 93,554 crore.

* Freight target fixed at 1,047 MT for 2013-14, 40 MT over the current year.

* Railway hopes to end 2013-14 with a balance of Rs 12,506 crore.

* Operating ratio expected to improve to 87.8 per cent in 2013-14 from 88.8 per cent in the current fiscal.

* Railway revenues to show a balance of Rs 12,506 crore in 2013-14.

* Planned investment of Rs 63,363 crore for 2013-14, including Rs 600 crore from PPP route.

* Indian Railway Institute for Financial Management to be set up at Secunderabad to train rail officers on a regular basis.

* Rs 3,000 crore loan from Finance Ministry re-paid with interest by Railways this financial year.

* Railways to set up a Debt Service Fund.

* Railways' freight loading traffic scaled down by 100 million tonnes from 1025 million tonnes because of economic slowdown.

* 5.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic expected in 2013-14.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Subbarao assures various options to tackle liquidity crunch

Delhi most creative state in India, says Creative Index Report

Cargo traffic at 12 major ports down by 2.58% in 2012-13

India outlook is stable, but fiscal deficit a key constraint on ratings