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| snap: Manisha Borkotoky |
P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY (MALAPPURAM) IUML
One can very well understand as to what has happened to Air India within a couple of years. When we travel by Air India,
we all think as to how many days our Air India will be there. In this way, a general impression is there. The Railways also is going to be privatised. It is waiting for its
mercy killing. It is very well seen from the fact that the Railways had a separate
Budget. At that time, what was the condition? Everybody from all the States used
to wait for the Railway Budget. With many hopes, all the States used to wait at that time. Now, it is a part of the General Budget and there is no focus on the Railway Budget. One can very well see, when we go through the documents, there is not
much allocation even for the usual works. Southern States are being neglected in
general and Kerala in particular. Kerala may not be there on your political map but it should be there in your Railway map.
SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO (BOLANGIR): BJP
The spirit of this outstanding Budget conforms to the principles of Jeremy
Bentham’s Theory of Utilitarianism, which advocates for the greatest happiness
of the greatest number, and this thought has clearly been reflected in the Prime
Minister’s slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas”, in order to
create a new India.
It is only in the Modi era, post-2014, that the Government has actually
started fulfilling its role as was envisaged in the Preamble of our Constitution as
a “Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic”. It is also in the Modi era
that the Government has started seriously fulfilling its obligations as a welfare
state by protecting and promoting the socio-economic well-being of our citizens,
based on the principles of equality and social justice, at the same time continuing
to be the world’s fastest growing economy.
After this, I would like to come down to the Demands for Grants. Our
country is in a period of transition and is experiencing a paradigm shift. The
Railway Budget is totally in sync with the new India vision,
Investment in suburban railways has been encouraged through Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV) structures like Rapid Regional Transport System
(RRTS).
Public Private Partnership (PPT) in Metro rail initiative is being
encouraged.
Focus on green energy by Indian Railways is the new engine of growth.
There is a great emphasis on safe railway travel. When we are talking
about high speed trains, simultaneously we are worried about safe travel. To
avoid accidents and untoward incidents, CCTVs on stations and trains have
been set up so that sabotage can be controlled.
As far as new signalling is concerned, India is looking to adopt European
signalling infrastructure for safer yet faster movement of passenger trains.
Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is going to take place on getting a
green rating.
Elimination of unmanned level crossings is a big step aiming to prevent
railway accidents due to trespassing on railway tracks. This Government has
taken it seriously.
Vande Bharat Express, which is a flagship project, is also doing well and is a big success story of ‘Make in India
SHRIMATI MALA ROY (KOLKATA DAKSHIN): TRINAMOOL CONGRESS
Hon. Chairman, Sir, as the
whole country listened in anticipation, they were highly disappointed with the
negligence shown towards the Indian Railways by the hon. Minister.
One should not forget that the railways is the lifeline of India. It is the fourth
largest network carrying over eight billion passengers a year; the second in
capacity after China. It is going through its most critical phase as the operating
ratio has been quite high in the last few years. Today, India spends Rs. 97.3 in
order to earn Rs. 100 from the railways. Now, the hon. Minister wishes to lower
this ratio by increasing the gross budgetary support. In 2018-19, the gross
budgetary support from the Central Government was proposed at Rs. 55,088
crore. This is a 38 per cent increase compared to the Revised Estimates of 2017-
18 which was Rs. 41,813 crore. This year, the Central Government has again
increased the budgetary support to Rs. 66,105 crore. This means that in the last
two years, the Central Government has increased 61 per cent of its budgetary
support.
The earnings from the internal sources, mainly, the freight and the
passenger traffic, has gone from 31 per cent in 2010 to just a meagre eight per
cent in 2019. With declining internal revenue, the major source of earning of the
Railways is budgetary support and borrowings. The Indian Railways Finance
Corporation has taken a loan of US$ 750 million from Asian Development Bank
in order to finance the electrification of railway tracks as proposed by the hon.
Minister. The percentage of revenue from borrowings has increased from 20 per
cent in 2010 to 55 per cent in 2019 and this will be an extra burden on the
common people of India. The financial condition of the Indian Railways is
shattered but there is no roadmap for increasing earnings in the Budget.
DV. A. M. ARIFF (ALAPPUZHA): Thank you, hon. Chairperson Sir, for giving
me this opportunity.
I would like to express my views on the Railway Budget for the year 2019-
20, presented by Shrimati Nirmala Sitharamanji. This Budget 2019-20 is an
obvious evidence of regional discrimination by the Central Government to the
State of Kerala. I am sorry to say that Kerala has been a vehemently neglected
region for railways.
The long pending demand of Railway Zone for Kerala is neglected in this
Budget also. The State of Kerala occupies a significant position on the Indian
Railway Map with 1050 route kilometres and 1588 kilometres of total track. The
Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad divisions of the Southern Railway Zone
make up the divisions of the State for the railways. The railway development in
Kerala is not as desired and is reflected in terms of railway development and
fund allocation. Currently, the State is at the mercy of the Southern Railway
Authorities in Chennai to receive a share of funds and diversion of money to
other projects outside the State. The only way to speed up railway development
in Kerala is to have a separate zone. The creation of such a railway zone will
ensure that the funds allocated in the Budget are directly received by the State
to be utilised for the developmental work
Sudip Bandyopadhyay speaks on the Demands for Grants for Ministry of Railways
The budgetary allocation for the Indian Railways is Rs 65,837 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 1.60 lakh crore. The Finance Minister in her speech has given a dream that Rs 50 lakh crore between 2018 and 2030 and proposed the usage of the PPP model for faster development and delivery of passenger freight services for railway projects to boost connectivity. Indian Railways is moving towards privatisation – that is what this Budget indicates.
Being the Chairman of the Railway Standing Committee, I feel that it is not the proper etiquette to speak on the Budget because I know many of the information from my meetings with railway board chairpersons. But a few issues certainly need to be raised and need to be answered by the Minister, which we would place in our Standing Committee reports, and which I must say are never responded to.
As given in the budgetary plan outlay and in the non-plan outlay, the estimated salary expenditure of the railway employees goes up to Rs 86,554.31 crore. So non-plan expenditure takes the major portion of the plan outlay of the Railway Budget. What I propose to know that, since you have mentioned world-class railway stations, how many railway stations are being constructed under the project for building world-class railway stations? I am giving the answer – it is a maximum of four to five in the whole country, and of course one is in Gujarat, in Surat to be specific. There has been enough publicity about world-class railway stations but in reality this project is not moving fast enough.
In a report I submitted, titled ‘Tourism, Promotion and Pilgrim Circuit’, we had mentioned that the Railways can make circuits connecting place of interest to tourism. But no comprehensive response has come from the Railways – just one or two circuits have been accepted.
Similarly, through another report, the IRCTC has been advised to take care of the catering service in trains. Many people who undertake long journeys by trains look forward to having good-quality food as part of their enjoyment of the journey. But the quality of food delivered to the passengers is often not acceptable at all. One of my colleagues told me that eggs prepared in the previous night are delivered in the next day’s train, and thus become spoilt. The IRCTC has said that their base kitchens will be kept neat and clean and the food will be prepared in the proper way but in reality that is not happening.
A few royal trains operate in the country, which are mainly for foreigners. They are Palace on Wheels, Maharaja Express, Golden Chariot, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels and Deccan Odyssey. They are all with more than five star facilities, and the tickets have to be purchased against payment of dollars. The point of concern though is that their occupancy rate has come down to below 30 per cent. Only vacant trains are moving. However, through the report, I have submitted a list categorically mentioning the railway officials who have used these trains on a complementary basis for travelling. If the Minister wants, I can submit the report. Sir, these superb quality railway train packages are of seven to eight days’ duration. I will suggest that the minister should reduce the trips to three or four days, instead of seven to eight days.
SHRIMATI AGATHA K. SANGMA (TURA): NPP
Thank you Speaker Sir for giving me an opportunity to speak on the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Railway. Sir, I understand that in India one of the main ways of connecting people is through the Railways and I would like to congratulate the Railway Department for doing such a wonderful job in ensuring the mobility of the people of our country. Sir, in the whole process of development, there has been one thing that really disturbs me. Since 1987 to July, 2019, it has been reported that over 370 elephants have been killed in train accidents. Apparently, there are about 18 elephant corridors through which railway track passes and there are six new proposals in these elephant corridors. In some of the places, the proposals are going on. In some places, the work has already been started. Sir, elephants are nomads. They cannot live in one area because they are very large animals. It is very important for them to have mobility and move from one ecosystem to another. If they stick to one ecosystem, they end up by over-consuming the resources of that ecosystem. Therefore, elephant corridors have been established. My request to the hon. Minister through you is that, first of all, these elephant corridors have to be protected and no new railway line should be put up in areas wherever elephant corridors are there. In case, there are areas where elephant corridors exist and proposals have been made, I request the Government to ensure that under and overpass are constructed so that there is a safe passage for these animals. (2005/MMN/RAJ) Last year, there was a directive by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change asking that in all projects where there is linear infrastructure and wildlife habitats exist, there must be an inbuilt process of doing mitigations. One of the suggestions of the MoEF&CC was that these safe passages be made. So, I urge the hon. Minister, through you, Sir, to ensure that these safe passages be created and a budget allocation be made for these passages.
My State of Meghalaya is also going to host the National Games in 2022, and the means of communication to my State is, thankfully to our hon. Prime Minister, through the UDAAN Scheme. Through this scheme, we are getting our new airport functional in this short span of time. We use the Guwahati airport and we use the Guwahati railway station. Since it is extremely a short time for the new tracks to be set in my State and it would not be possible in a short span of two years, I request you to ensure that the facilities are provided in Guwahati airport, which will also be beneficial to my neighbouring friends. Also, upgrade the railway station in Guwahati and improve connectivity so that it becomes possible for us to host the National Games successfully in Meghalaya in 2022.
Badruddin Ajmal, AIUDF, Dhubri Assam
Our demand for following projects -
New survey for construction of rail line from Jogighopa to Silchar via Mankachar and Mahendragarh International port.
2.Construction of new railway line from Bongaigaon to Guwahati via Langting, Kalgachia, and Barpeta.
3.Introduction of new train between Dhubri to Guwahati, including intercity and Jan Shatabdi Express.
4.Introduction of a daily intercity chair car train between Dhubri and Guwahati.
5.Introduction of new express trains from Dhubri to Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.
6.Introduction of train service, both passenger and goods, between Golakganj station of Dhubri district in Assam and Kolkata in West Bengal.
Investment in suburban railways has been encouraged through Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV) structures like Rapid Regional Transport System
(RRTS).
Public Private Partnership (PPT) in Metro rail initiative is being
encouraged.
Focus on green energy by Indian Railways is the new engine of growth.
There is a great emphasis on safe railway travel. When we are talking
about high speed trains, simultaneously we are worried about safe travel. To
avoid accidents and untoward incidents, CCTVs on stations and trains have
been set up so that sabotage can be controlled.
As far as new signalling is concerned, India is looking to adopt European
signalling infrastructure for safer yet faster movement of passenger trains.
Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is going to take place on getting a
green rating.
Elimination of unmanned level crossings is a big step aiming to prevent
railway accidents due to trespassing on railway tracks. This Government has
taken it seriously.
Vande Bharat Express, which is a flagship project, is also doing well and is a big success story of ‘Make in India
SHRIMATI MALA ROY (KOLKATA DAKSHIN): TRINAMOOL CONGRESS
Hon. Chairman, Sir, as the
whole country listened in anticipation, they were highly disappointed with the
negligence shown towards the Indian Railways by the hon. Minister.
One should not forget that the railways is the lifeline of India. It is the fourth
largest network carrying over eight billion passengers a year; the second in
capacity after China. It is going through its most critical phase as the operating
ratio has been quite high in the last few years. Today, India spends Rs. 97.3 in
order to earn Rs. 100 from the railways. Now, the hon. Minister wishes to lower
this ratio by increasing the gross budgetary support. In 2018-19, the gross
budgetary support from the Central Government was proposed at Rs. 55,088
crore. This is a 38 per cent increase compared to the Revised Estimates of 2017-
18 which was Rs. 41,813 crore. This year, the Central Government has again
increased the budgetary support to Rs. 66,105 crore. This means that in the last
two years, the Central Government has increased 61 per cent of its budgetary
support.
The earnings from the internal sources, mainly, the freight and the
passenger traffic, has gone from 31 per cent in 2010 to just a meagre eight per
cent in 2019. With declining internal revenue, the major source of earning of the
Railways is budgetary support and borrowings. The Indian Railways Finance
Corporation has taken a loan of US$ 750 million from Asian Development Bank
in order to finance the electrification of railway tracks as proposed by the hon.
Minister. The percentage of revenue from borrowings has increased from 20 per
cent in 2010 to 55 per cent in 2019 and this will be an extra burden on the
common people of India. The financial condition of the Indian Railways is
shattered but there is no roadmap for increasing earnings in the Budget.
DV. A. M. ARIFF (ALAPPUZHA): Thank you, hon. Chairperson Sir, for giving
me this opportunity.
I would like to express my views on the Railway Budget for the year 2019-
20, presented by Shrimati Nirmala Sitharamanji. This Budget 2019-20 is an
obvious evidence of regional discrimination by the Central Government to the
State of Kerala. I am sorry to say that Kerala has been a vehemently neglected
region for railways.
The long pending demand of Railway Zone for Kerala is neglected in this
Budget also. The State of Kerala occupies a significant position on the Indian
Railway Map with 1050 route kilometres and 1588 kilometres of total track. The
Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad divisions of the Southern Railway Zone
make up the divisions of the State for the railways. The railway development in
Kerala is not as desired and is reflected in terms of railway development and
fund allocation. Currently, the State is at the mercy of the Southern Railway
Authorities in Chennai to receive a share of funds and diversion of money to
other projects outside the State. The only way to speed up railway development
in Kerala is to have a separate zone. The creation of such a railway zone will
ensure that the funds allocated in the Budget are directly received by the State
to be utilised for the developmental work
Sudip Bandyopadhyay speaks on the Demands for Grants for Ministry of Railways
The budgetary allocation for the Indian Railways is Rs 65,837 crore and capital expenditure is Rs 1.60 lakh crore. The Finance Minister in her speech has given a dream that Rs 50 lakh crore between 2018 and 2030 and proposed the usage of the PPP model for faster development and delivery of passenger freight services for railway projects to boost connectivity. Indian Railways is moving towards privatisation – that is what this Budget indicates.
Being the Chairman of the Railway Standing Committee, I feel that it is not the proper etiquette to speak on the Budget because I know many of the information from my meetings with railway board chairpersons. But a few issues certainly need to be raised and need to be answered by the Minister, which we would place in our Standing Committee reports, and which I must say are never responded to.
As given in the budgetary plan outlay and in the non-plan outlay, the estimated salary expenditure of the railway employees goes up to Rs 86,554.31 crore. So non-plan expenditure takes the major portion of the plan outlay of the Railway Budget. What I propose to know that, since you have mentioned world-class railway stations, how many railway stations are being constructed under the project for building world-class railway stations? I am giving the answer – it is a maximum of four to five in the whole country, and of course one is in Gujarat, in Surat to be specific. There has been enough publicity about world-class railway stations but in reality this project is not moving fast enough.
In a report I submitted, titled ‘Tourism, Promotion and Pilgrim Circuit’, we had mentioned that the Railways can make circuits connecting place of interest to tourism. But no comprehensive response has come from the Railways – just one or two circuits have been accepted.
Similarly, through another report, the IRCTC has been advised to take care of the catering service in trains. Many people who undertake long journeys by trains look forward to having good-quality food as part of their enjoyment of the journey. But the quality of food delivered to the passengers is often not acceptable at all. One of my colleagues told me that eggs prepared in the previous night are delivered in the next day’s train, and thus become spoilt. The IRCTC has said that their base kitchens will be kept neat and clean and the food will be prepared in the proper way but in reality that is not happening.
SHRIMATI AGATHA K. SANGMA (TURA): NPP
Thank you Speaker Sir for giving me an opportunity to speak on the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Railway. Sir, I understand that in India one of the main ways of connecting people is through the Railways and I would like to congratulate the Railway Department for doing such a wonderful job in ensuring the mobility of the people of our country. Sir, in the whole process of development, there has been one thing that really disturbs me. Since 1987 to July, 2019, it has been reported that over 370 elephants have been killed in train accidents. Apparently, there are about 18 elephant corridors through which railway track passes and there are six new proposals in these elephant corridors. In some of the places, the proposals are going on. In some places, the work has already been started. Sir, elephants are nomads. They cannot live in one area because they are very large animals. It is very important for them to have mobility and move from one ecosystem to another. If they stick to one ecosystem, they end up by over-consuming the resources of that ecosystem. Therefore, elephant corridors have been established. My request to the hon. Minister through you is that, first of all, these elephant corridors have to be protected and no new railway line should be put up in areas wherever elephant corridors are there. In case, there are areas where elephant corridors exist and proposals have been made, I request the Government to ensure that under and overpass are constructed so that there is a safe passage for these animals. (2005/MMN/RAJ) Last year, there was a directive by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change asking that in all projects where there is linear infrastructure and wildlife habitats exist, there must be an inbuilt process of doing mitigations. One of the suggestions of the MoEF&CC was that these safe passages be made. So, I urge the hon. Minister, through you, Sir, to ensure that these safe passages be created and a budget allocation be made for these passages.
My State of Meghalaya is also going to host the National Games in 2022, and the means of communication to my State is, thankfully to our hon. Prime Minister, through the UDAAN Scheme. Through this scheme, we are getting our new airport functional in this short span of time. We use the Guwahati airport and we use the Guwahati railway station. Since it is extremely a short time for the new tracks to be set in my State and it would not be possible in a short span of two years, I request you to ensure that the facilities are provided in Guwahati airport, which will also be beneficial to my neighbouring friends. Also, upgrade the railway station in Guwahati and improve connectivity so that it becomes possible for us to host the National Games successfully in Meghalaya in 2022.
Badruddin Ajmal, AIUDF, Dhubri Assam
Our demand for following projects -
New survey for construction of rail line from Jogighopa to Silchar via Mankachar and Mahendragarh International port.
2.Construction of new railway line from Bongaigaon to Guwahati via Langting, Kalgachia, and Barpeta.
3.Introduction of new train between Dhubri to Guwahati, including intercity and Jan Shatabdi Express.
4.Introduction of a daily intercity chair car train between Dhubri and Guwahati.
5.Introduction of new express trains from Dhubri to Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.
6.Introduction of train service, both passenger and goods, between Golakganj station of Dhubri district in Assam and Kolkata in West Bengal.
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