Former railway minister and Mamata Banerjee described the Interim Railway Budget for 2009-10 as 'election-oriented' and an eyewash to secure votes.
Analysts on Monday gave a mixed reaction to the railway budget, with some terming it as a "non-event" saying there were no radical measures to bridge the revenue deficit in the document, and a few calling it "pragmatic" given the limitations.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is often accused of being parochial -- she has, on many occasions, been blamed for being tilted in favour of her home state of West Bengal, at least as far as railway projects are concerned.
Union Minister for Railways D V Sadananda Gowda in his maiden Budget presentation on Tuesday highlighted the achievements of the Indian Railways.
According to Kolkata-based economist Prasanta Roy Choudhury, the Railway Budget that Mamata Banerjee presented on Wednesday was one of the best ones in recent times.
The party's national general secretary, Mukul Roy, said, "This government has no moral or ethical right to place a railway budget."
The Budget allocation includes the construction of new lines and the purchase of locomotives, wagons, and coaches, among other works.
For the seventh year in a row, passenger fares are unlikely to be revised in the Railway Budget to be presented on Wednesday Mamata Banerjee is once again set to reach out to the common man with populist measures.
Two dedicated freight corridors -- Eastern and Western -- are in operation covering several states and districts.
Budget is likely to focus on infrastructure creation in the N-E
Deviating from past practice, the Railway Budget for 2003-04 will be presented at 1100 IST instead of 12 noon on February 26, official sources said on Friday.\n\n\n\n
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Passenger amenities, safety and security will have priorities in the next Railway budget which is likely to be presented on July 1, Railway minister Mamata Banerjee has said.
The proposed construction of 100 railway budget hotels across India to meet the Commonwealth Games tourist rush has hit a road block with no clear signal as to which authority will execute them.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced new initiatives.
Suresh Prabhu presented the Rail Budget on Thursday.
We have here a list of a dozen of her proposals in random order. Please take the poll at the end of the slide show to select the one which you feel is the best thing about this year's Railway Budget.
The idea of back-loading the target of fiscal consolidation is perhaps guided by the government's desire to be prepared for any adverse developments in the coming year, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The Railway Budget was a mixed bag for India Inc with industry bodies cautioning that the hike in freight charges will fuel inflation, while other chambers said some proposals if implemented could set the growth multiplier in motion.
It has been another lost year for the Railways despite the intra-year measures to compensate for the rise in fuel costs.
Shivakumar had said on February 14 that the Congress high command and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would examine the statements being made by party MLAs.
Suresh Prabhu presented the Railway Budget on Thursday.
The decision to cut development expenditure does not bode well for safety and amenities.
The Indian government has increased import duties on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb inbound shipments of precious metals amid a rising import bill due to the West Asia crisis.
Shares of engineering and wagon manufacturing firms surged by up to 4 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange in early trade on Friday ahead of the Railway Budget 2009-10. KK Birla Group company Texmaco, which is in the business of wagon manufacturing, gained 2.53 per cent to hit a high of Rs 123.50 within minutes of opening trade. Kalindee Rail Nirman rose by 2.80 per cent to Rs 229.30.
The Union Budget backs skilling across animation, gaming and comics. But creators and studios confront a hard question: who owns what comes next?
The Rail Budget will announce introduction of AC suburban trains in Mumbai.
A total of 5,400 unmanned level crossings were eliminated in the last one year.
A downsizing in the prime minister's convoy was implemented in his recent domestic visits, official sources said.
He said the budget is a watershed moment for Railways.
The best way for the railways to become more professional will be to get corporatised.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserted that the BJP will form the government in West Bengal after the upcoming assembly elections, ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule. He criticised the TMC for vote-bank politics, hindering development, and failing to protect women, while promising unprecedented development under a BJP government.
After the massive success of his debut film Saiyaara, Ahaan Panday has commenced shooting his second film, a yet-untitled film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, with the first look hinting at an action-packed narrative.
A proposed 24 percent hike in the salaries of 2.6 million employees and pensioners, will land the railways with a wage bill of about $4.7 billion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee engaged in a war of words during election rallies, with Modi accusing the TMC of supporting divisive forces and Banerjee alleging the BJP plans to divide the state.
There will be provision for a few new trains including premium and services connecting various pilgrim centres in the Rail Budget 2014-15.
India's privatisation push, once projected as a cornerstone of economic reform, has suffered another setback, with the Centre set to call off the IDBI Bank stake sale, highlighting the political and structural constraints shaping the country's disinvestment policy, experts say.
Mamata appealed to business houses to join hands for building partnership with the Railways.
'For those in for the long haul, this is a God-given opportunity.' 'Your market is falling despite strong fundamentals, and such a clear roadmap has been announced.'
