Railways growth up 8%

The railways total earnings recorded an 8.3 per cent growth at Rs 33,900 crore (Rs 339 billion) up to December this year as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

Presenting the Railway Budget 2005/06 in the Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said accordingly the revised estimates of total earnings for 2004/05 has been put at Rs 46,635 crore (Rs 466.35 billion), which is Rs 1,838 crore (Rs 18.38 billion) higher as compared to the budget estimates.

The freight growth has surpassed the economic growth as well as the Tenth Plan target of 396 billion tonnes this year itself, two years ahead of the target, he said. The current year's expected incremental freight loading of 43 million tonnes is the highest so far, he said.

Originating passenger traffic has also registered a growth of six per cent this year as against the budget target of three per cent, Prasad said.

Concerted efforts of the ministry of railways has also resulted in a two-fold increase in the realisation of outstanding dues over the previous year.

Railway Budget 2005-06: Complete Coverage

With the anticipated clearance of Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.5 billion), the budgeted gross traffic of Rs 44,902 crore (Rs 449.02 billion) will increase to Rs 46,785 crore (Rs 467.85 billion).

Ordinary working expenses are likely to increase by Rs 400 crore (Rs 4 billion) mainly due to steep post budgetary increase in fuel prices and revised estimates for these are placed at Rs 33,260 crore (Rs 332.60 billion) as against Rs 32,860 crore (Rs 328. 60 billion) in the budget estimates.

While the gross traffic is anticipated to increase by Rs 1,883 crore (Rs 18.83 billion) over the budget estimates, the working expenses are expected to grow by only Rs 400 crore (Rs 4 billion) resulting in a significant increase in the internal generation during the current fiscal, Prasad said.

With this the ratio of ordinary working expenses and pension to gross traffic receipts called working ratios is expected to be around 85 per cent.

Despite the appropriation to depreciation fund being Rs 395 crore (Rs 3.95 billion), higher than budgeted, the operating ratio is expected to be 91.2 per cent against the budgeted 92.6 per cent.

The fund balances are expected to close with a healthy figure of Rs 6,963 crore (Rs 69.63 billion).