Railway Budget 2009 Highlights-Mamata Banerjee

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a slew of measures including the development of fifty world class stations and introducing double decker coaches for inter-city travel.

Apart from that other measures which have been announced include introducing of Girl child

scholarship for Group B employees.

Railway Budget 2009 Highlights

• New scheme called 'Ijjat' for low income monthly travel

• Freight loading fell short of target

• Unrealistically high targets of Interim Budget not sustainable

• Railways to develop cold storages for farmers to store vegetables and fruits

• Unrealistically high targets of Interim Budget not sustainable

• Railways making efforts with Department of Heavy Industries for takeover of ailing wagon manufacturing units like Burn Standards

• 18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year

• Better representation to be given to minorities, women and the economically backward in railway recruitment

• Superfast parcel express trains to be started on a pilot basis between Delhi and Chennai and Delhi and Mumbai.

• Launch of premium parcel service between 3 stations

• Railways to lease out more land for commercial purposes

• Special recruitment drive to fill up physically challenged posts

• Metro Rail Hopsital in Tollygunj to be upgraded

• Hospitals to be developed for railway staff

• Women commandos in key routes to be increased

• Girl child scholarship for Group B employees

• Mobile ticketing vans to be introduced

• Ramps, special bogeys for physically challenged passengers

• To introduce double-decker coaches for inter-city travel

• Unreserved ticketing terminals to be expanded from 5000 to 8000