Railway budget - 2000-01

• Trusting buoyancy in economy as well as additional marketing efforts of railways, freight traffic target fixed slightly higher at 475 million tonnes.
• Growth in passenger traffic - 5 per cent.
• Other coaching and sundry other earnings to increase by 5 per cent.
• Rs 100 crore additional earnings expected in parcel business; Rs 500 crore by way of leasing of 'right of way' of optic fibre cables, Rs 150 crore from commercial exploitation of land and Rs 100 crore through commercial publicity.
• Target of Rs 500 crore clearance of outstanding dues of powerhouses mainly BTPS.
• Gross traffic receipts estimated at Rs 35,929 crore
• Ordinary working expenses estimated at Rs 28,115 crore - increase of 9 per cent over revised estimates
• Pension liability estimated at Rs 5,314 crore - up by Rs 1,220 crore from 1999-2000
• Appropriation to DRF of Rs 2,441 crore
• Total working expenses estimated at Rs 35,552 crore.
• Net traffic receipt at Rs 3,77 crore.
• Net miscellaneous receipts at Rs 815 crore including Rs 300 crore to be received from general revenues for railway safety works.
• Net railway revenues projected at Rs 1,192 crore.
• Dividend to general revenues estimated at Rs 2,115 crore. In view of shortfall in internal resources, Rs 1,500 crore transferred to deferred dividend liability account and Rs 615 crore proposed to be paid to general revenues.
• 'Excess' of receipts over expenditure works out to Rs 576 crore - falls short of Plan requirement of internal resources by Rs 849 crore
• Loan of Rs 249 crore from budgetary support of Rs 3,540 crore taken for capital fund
• Balance Rs 600 crore to be mobilised additionally through revision of freight/parcel/luggage rates.

PROPOSALS REGARDING FREIGHT RATES

• No increase in the freight rates for essential commodities like foodgrains, sugar, edible salt, edible oils, kerosene, LPG, fruits and vegetables.
• By insulating these essential commodities, no additional burden on common man.
• A general increase of 5 per cent in rates of all commodities except those mentioned above.
• Keeping in view need to encourage higher industrial growth, increase in rates kept less than 5 per cent for core sector commodities of coal, iron and steel (division A/B/C), cement, iron ore, limestone and dolomite and certain petroleum products.
• Urea exempted from increase.
• Classification upgraded for chemical manures; freight charges for livestock and oilseeds to be raised appropriately so as to make their haulage more viable - average increase in rates in these commodities would be more than normal increase of 5 per cent.
• Increase of 7 per cent in scale rates of parcel and luggage including motor car rates.
• Newspaper, magazine and medicine to be exempted.
• Proposals for adjustment in tariff for freight, parcel and luggage estimated to generate Rs 600 crore per annum.
• Changes in rates and classifications to be effective from 1 April 2000.

CONCESSIONS

• To commemorate 50th year of Indian republic, all freedom fighters to be given millennium gift for travel of one journey by Rajdhani or Shatabdi train of choice from any station to any destination and back; to be valid for millennium year only.
• Millenium card at a cost of Rs 10,000, valid for one year, for assured reservation in first AC and second AC classes on any train, to be introduced.
• Free travel facility available for students up to class-X now extended to girl students only up to class-XII for travel from home to school/college and back.
• Widows of martyrs of 'Operation Vijay' in 1999 in Kargil to be entitled to 75 per cent travel concession in second class and sleeper class.
• No increase in passenger fares.