M A I N   N E W S

67 express trains this year

• Presenting the Railway Budget, a first by a Congress minister in 17 years, PK Bansal announced introduction of 67 express trains and 26 passenger trains
• He also proposed extension of 57 trains and increasing the frequency of 24
• 500 km new lines would be laid and 450 km narrow and medium gauge lines would be converted into broad gauge in the 2013-14 fiscal
• The Railways plans to invest Rs 63,363 crore, mainly on expansion of tracks and improving passenger safety

Ferrying grains, pulses costlier

• Prices of food items are set to go up as the Railways has proposed to hike freight charges of grains, pulses and groundnut oil by almost 6%
• It has also hiked urea freight by 5.8%, which may impact the govt’s fertiliser subsidy bill
• The rates exclude the development charge and the busy season charge, which essentially means that the actual hike will be higher

Freight hike to push up fuel price

• Prices of diesel and cooking fuel are likely to go up again with the Railway Minister announcing an increase in transport cost of fuels
• The hike will be around 8%, a burden oil cos may pass on to the common man
• Bansal pointed out that losses were mounting and a revision in freight fares was necessary