The Railway Budget — General Discussion
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245 Railway Budget PHALGUNA 19, 1918 (Saka) Railway Budget 246 14.09 hrs. Railways. We have a work force of about 16 lakh people. Even the Economic Survey says that there is further The Lok Sabha re-assembled after Lunch at nine scope for improvement of the productivity of the railway minutes past Fourteen of the Clock. workers. At the same time, economy has to be observed. To minimize the expenditure, a large number of steps [English] will have to be taken in this direction. Today, the working cost ratio is 91 per cent which is one of the highest in [Mr. D eputy Speaker in the Chair] the world. Rake rate is one of the highest or the highest. Only seven months ago this was 85 per cent. It has now risen to 91 per cent. So, we have to improve the THE RAILWAY BUDGET — GENERAL performance of the Railways. We have to bring down DISCUSSION - 1997-98 the working cost also. DEMANDS FOR GRANTS ON ACCOUNT Thirdly, there are two schemes under which work is (RAILWAYS) - 1997-98 being carried out in Railways - Build, Own, Lease, Transfer scheme (popularly known as BOLT), and the DEMANDS FOR EXCESS GRANTS — Own Your Wagon scheme. These schemes have RAILWAYS - 1994-95 achieved very limited success. The success that was DEMANDS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS — expected from the working of these schemes at the time RAILWAYS - 1996-97 - Contd. of floating them is nowhere to be seen. What are the loopholes? Ofcourse, from Own Your Wagon scheme MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER : Shri Sriballav Panigrahi. we have been able to get about Rs. 576 crore. But the whole thing should be reviewed. Avenues of financial SHRI SRIBALLAV PANIGRAHI (Deogarh) : Sir, the assistance from the World Bank should be explored. It growth of the Railways should be commensurate with has to be seen as to how further funds can be obtained the increase in the quantum of traffic and also the New by way of loan from different financial institutions. Economic Policy. I was also referring to the fact that only five per cent growth has been projected in respect In this connection, we cannot rule out the of goods traffic. participation of private parties, industrialists, etc., in the functioning of Railways. But we have to be very selective. This year, this will be 410 million tonnes. As per We have to very cautiously identify the areas which can some study made, in another ten years or so the growth be operated by the industrialists, MNCs, etc. so that the of goods traffic will be of the order of 2000 to 2500 dominance of Railways and the importance of Railways million tonnes. So, to keep pace with such needs of the is not undermined and at the same time, the huge country which are rising very fast, as the economy takes financial support that is needed is also met to some off, the Railways need reforms. extent from these sources. Regarding privatisation and I do not know, what is the progress achieved. There all other things, we have to take national consensus. was a proposal regarding some tourist trains to be run We have to take different political parties into confidence. by private parties. I do not know what is the fate of that In the case of General Budget, we understand that proposal. If it is successful, we can further increase there is an element of secrecy and confidentiality. But running of trains in that sector. I have a few suggestions what is there in the Railway Budget to keep it as to how funds can be mobilised to meet the increasing confidential? Even if fares and freight are increased, it needs of the Railways. is not going to come into effect from the next day. Nobody The Budgetary support, which has registered an purchases tickets in advance for black-marketing. That increase from 16 per cent to 21 per cent, should further way two to three months before the presentation of the be raised in the years to come. We understand that in Railway Budget, the process of consultation with different the Approach Paper for the Ninth Plan there is a political parties, with trade organisations and with provision of about Rs. 8 lakh crore for public sector. Out labour unions can be very well done. of this amount, Rs. 3.5 lakh crore will be by way of On another point I have a very concrete suggestion Budgetary support. This is a good thing. I think Railways to give and that is regarding the utilisation of surplus is number one public sector enterprise in our country land which was dealt by Shri Pramod Mahajan also. having many unique features. I need not dwell on it Railways have enough surplus land in different towns because of time constraint, as also I do not want to and cities along the railway track and at other places. repeat it here. Keeping in view the requirements of the After making a careful study of the requirement of Railways, adequate Budgetary support should be resources, the surplus land could be estimated which provided to it in the Ninth Plan. would fetch huge amounts to the Railways. Added to Secondly, internal resource generation has to be that, there is another resource Railways can make use improved further. The present position is very of. This may look somewhat awkward but this can also disappointing. Steps will have to be taken either by the be a practical suggestion. It is about the utilisation of Ministry or the Board to improve the performance of the sky space over the tracks inside the metropolitan cities. 247 Railway Budget MARCH 10, 1997 Railway Budget 248 [Shri Sriballav Panigrahi] incidents are taking place in the running trains and that too in and around Patna, the capital city of Bihar. What For this resource, sky is the limit. There is no limit to it. is this? It is disheartening, rather alarming. We have space available from eight or ten feet above the railway track. If utilisation of this space is properly There was a study that about 11000 Railway Policy planned and pursued, it will earn thousands and Personnel (GRP) were required to operate in Bihar thousands of crores of rupees as revenue to the alone in 1977. Do you know the present position? It is Railways. There were some who were toying with this 2500. What will happen with this number of police idea but I do not know if this has moved any further. personnel there? This idea should also be explored. [Translation] According to the recommendation of the National Transport Policy Committee, the requirement for railways “SKANDHAM NA BADHTE RATAN, TAB multiplies. The needs multiply and the Railways cannot BADHTI BADHTE” meet the requirement in transport sector. Short-distance [English] traffic, both passenger and goods, should be left to the road sector because short-distance trains are running This was the conversation between Vikramaditya on losses. and Kalidas in those days. Railway is making losses in the short distance sector. The Minister of Railways is expressing helplessness It could be handed over to the road sector. Railways everywhere, inside the House, in Patna, and in Bhopal. should handle the long distance sector more diligently He says that he has no control over the State and efficiently. This is my other suggestion Government. The GRP is under the State Government. ...(Interruptions) Who is to sort out this? Of course, he says that the Prime Minister will take a meeting...(Interruptions) After MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER : Panigrahiji, you have saying all these things, this has again increased. This already taken 55 minutes. Please conclude your speech is the position of law and order in Patna. within five minutes. Regarding financial discipline, les said the better. SHRI SRIBALLAV PANIGRAHI : I am concluding. Everybody knows about the observations made by the The largest work force in our public sector in there Comptroller and Auditor General. Everybody knows in the Railways. In public sector there should be total about the observations made by the Chief Minister on transparency and the same has been promised in the the floor of the Assembly. So, there are financial Railway Budget Speech, so also in the Budget Speech. irregularities. There is no rule of law. The Administration Transparency is not possible unless we ensure effective, is not being run in accordance with the provisions of meaningful and active participation of the workers in the Constitutions...(Interruptions) the management. Steps should be expeditiously taken to see that labour is associated, workers are associated [Translation] with the management. I think that will naturally contribute SHRI MOHAMMAD ALI ASHRAF FAT Ml to the increase of efficiency in the functioning of the (Darbhanga): The discussion is going on railways and Railways. not on the Government of Bihar...(Interruptions) Before I go over to the demands of Orissa in a few MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER : You will get a chance to minutes, I would like to request the hon. Minister that speak. Please speak at that time. in view of the overall economic situation, it is time to reconsider 12 per cent increase in freight. The freight (Interruptions) hike should be brought down. As I have explained [English] earlier, it does have a cascading effect on the economy. What was the percentage six or seven months back? SHRI SRIBALLAV PANIGRAHI : It is connected with Common people cannot bear the burden of the freight the Railways. It is very much relevant...(Interruptions) hike of 12 per cent. It would have an adverse impact in MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER : Please let him conclude.