Presenting the Railway Budget for 2008-09 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav proposed to increase contribution to the staff benefit fund of railway employees from Rs. 35 to Rs 350 per employee for the year 2008-09.

Appreciating contribution of 14 lakh railway employees in financial turnaround of the Railways, Yadav said 13 new works would be taken up at a cost of Rs 101 crore (Rs 1.01 billion) for improving health services for the employees.

Northern Railways' Central Hospital building at Delhi will be made centrally air-conditioned.

Upgradation of two divisional hospitals to Central Hospitals at Jaipur and Hubli on Western and South Western Railway respectively, a new divisional hospital at Ranchi and construction of an OPD block at Integral Coach Factory would be taken up.

Source: Press Information Bureau

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