Railway Budget 2014: Promise of Service over Popularistic gimmicks

-

Sadananda Gowda's rail budget 2014 seems aiming to focus on modernization and refurbishment of railways, the cardinal designs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's docket on infrastructure development. Presenting his maiden budget the railway minister said that they are prioritizing time lines to finish pending projects. Government today said 340 railway projects, including launch of new rail lines, were pending for want of funds that nearly amounts to about 5 lakh crore, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
Railways' finance being in dire straits the railways is left with negligible resources for infrastructure upgradation. The railways' operating ratio, a measure of expenses as a percentage of revenue, has declined from 76 per cent in FY08 to an estimated 90.8 per cent in FY14. Last month's fare hike, the steepest in the last 15 years, will add around Rs. 10,000 crore to railway's revenues. But will that be enough to plug the losses the government incurs on passenger fares?
The Rail Budget also delineated plans for incremental amelioration of the present-day passenger amenities. The declaration of a 54% higher allocation which will expedite the ongoing work and provide the first-ever rail connectivity to the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya was pleasing. Mr. Gowda also gladdened hearts with a number of service related assurances:-

  • CCTV to monitor cleanliness activities.
  • Introduction of mechanized laundry.
  • 4,000 women constables to be recruited to ensure safety of women.
  • Ultrasonic system to detect problem in track.
And several other similar service related plans. Mr Gowda took up a daring venture of projecting plans to improve rail services, which impact the lives of 2.3 crore passengers every day. Hope of better service in future by the railway department is being kindled. Now it is to be seen how this hope will be fulfilled or will it remain stocked up with the stack of other unsated promises?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Dawdling presence

-
In the arms of solitude, keenly sense, A vast absence, a void intense. Every passing moment silently pleads, A sweet presence, my spirit needs.   The gentle wind whispers, softly it sways, Lost in echoes, as time slips away. A longing to grasp lingering still, In every breath, I feel the chill.   Amidst the quiet, I seek your embrace, A desire so deep, it leaves a trace. In the hush of night, in the ray of day, Your absence dawdles, never fades away.
Read more

Book Review : The Secret of God’s Son by Usha Narayanan

-
Image
KATHA HAI YEH YADU VANSHA KI… Book- The Secret of God’s Son Author- Usha Narayanan Genre- Fiction (Mythology) Publisher- Penguin Metro Reads Pages- 246 Price- 299 BLURB ‘The seas will devour the glorious city of Dwaraka. People will forget your name and your Gita. May the world perish! May the world perish!’ With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga. It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.  Will he uncover it in time to fight off the cataclysm? In the answer lies the destiny of all humanity...
Read more