India’s Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee presented the new Railway Budget for the year 2010-11 in the parliament on Wednesday, February 24, 2010. This was second budget presented by Dr. Mamta Banerjee in this Lok Sabha. The earlier Budget was presented by her on July 3, 2009. Before this , she was India Rail Minister in NDA government and had presented the Rail Budget in 2000 which was her first railway Budget. Mamta is also known to start Duronto express and Yuva Express.
The second Budget was presented without any increase in passenger fares or freight tariffs. A marginal reduction in service charges for sleeper and air-conditioned class tickets was announced. A cut of Rs. 100 per wagon in the freight of food grains, and kerosene was also announced. Which seemed to be Mamta’s reply to the rising food & petroleum prices.
The Minister has also come up with a promise to set up a task force which shall be clearing PPP (Public Private Projects) for the railways within 100 Days.
The overall theme of the budget was “Good Intentions for a Better Future”
The following pages deal with the Railway Budget 2010-11 in brief and GKToday takes an opportunity to provide its readers an insight into what railways did in this year & what are the Good Intentions of the Indian Railways along with some policy measures which don’t seem to be very specific.