New Delhi, February 26
Visibly pleased with himself after presenting a Budget, replete with user-friendly initiatives in the year of the elections, Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said that the Budget had been scripted with a “total business approach.”
Talking to mediapersons in his chamber in Parliament House after presenting the Railway Budget for 2003-2004 here today, Mr Nitish Kumar enumerated key steps as reforms in accounting policies and practices, conversion of production units into independent cost and profit centres, introduction of a new computerised coaching operations information system (COIS) to monitor punctuality of trains and 50 new trains introduced across the country.
Dismissing interpretations that the Budget had been scripted with an eye to the elections., the Railway Minister exclaimed, “Koi chunav nahin.” (No elections) and asserted that his ministry was only continuing the process of rationalisation.,
Mr Kumar said that his ministry had rationalised fares of Rajdhani trains, Shatabdi Express trains and Jan Shatabdi trains without increasing fares or freight rates. He said that since the issue regarding off-season discount was being debated, it had decided to offer off-season discount on first class and AC two-tier Rajdhani trains on an experimental basis for two months from July 15. He said that it had made catering optional in Jan Shatabdis as some
passengers did not want to pay for food as part of the fare.
The minister said that his ministry would table a White paper covering the entire spectrum of issues related to safety in train operations, in the ongoing session of Parliament. He said that special emphasis would be laid on safety, punctuality and cleanliness in 2003-2004 which had been declared as ‘the year of customer
satisfaction’. Citing an example of efforts to ensure customer satisfaction, he said the system of getting a refund of ticket money had been simplified. If a passenger misses a rain, he could get a refund from anywhere within three hours.
Mr Kumar said that the Railways were confident of carrying 540 million tonnes of revenue earnings originating traffic during 2003-2004. He said that the originating passenger
traffic was expected to go up by about 3 per cent resulting in increase in earnings of 7 per cent over the revised estimates of the current year.
He said that the Railways were willing to consider long-term agreements with individual oil companies for further reduction in freight rates provided volumes of additional traffic on long-term basis was guaranteed.
Replying to a question that most trains introduced favoured certain states, including his home state, Bihar, Mr Nitish Kumar retorted in an agitated manner, “Desh ka kaun sa kona choda hai” (Which corner of the country has been left?’). He drew attention to the
introduction of trains linking Azamgarh and Rewa with the national capital.
Mr Kumar said that the Railways were determined to generate optimum earnings from parcels. All types of parcels, including luggage, would now be charged uniformly under four scales according to the nature of service sought.
