In a major boost for Uttar Pradesh, the Centre has provided the state with the highest allocation of funds to the Railways in the Union Budget 2023-24. Uttar Pradesh has got a record allocation of Rs 17,507 crore from a total of Rs 2.4 lakh crore given to the Indian Railways. According to earlier reports, around 46 stations are to be redeveloped in NCR under the Amri Bharat Scheme. The lion’s share of funds given to UP will definitely help NCR among others in redeveloping its railway infrastructure including doubling of lines, gauge conversion, construction of bridges, facelifting of stations, rail track renewal etc.
Fund allocation to Indian Railways in the past
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had in the Union Budget 2023-24announced that this time the budget allocation to the Indian Railways has been the highest in history. In the year 2013-14, Railways was allowed a share of Rs 28,174 crore and in 2022- 23, it got a share of Rs 1,59,100 crore. Now, Rs 2,40,000 crore has been provided to the railways in the financial year 2023-24. In 2019-20, UP had got an allocation of Rs 8576 crore and in 2020-21, Rs 12696 crore was provided to the state in 2021-22, and Rs 14761 crore in 2022-23.
State-wise, there has been a 26-fold hike in the maximum budget received by the National Capital Region including Delhi. That is, in 2013-14, Delhi received a budget of Rs 96 crore, and this time a budget of Rs 2477 crore has been allocated, according to PTI.
State-wise allocation of funds for modernisation of Railways
After UP, it’s Madhya Pradesh that has got the second-highest allocation of Rs 13,607 crore for the purpose of modernisation of railways. Here’s a breakdown of funds received by other states:
Maharashtra: Rs 13,539 crore
West Bengal: Rs 11,970 crore
North East: Rs 10,269 crore
Odisha: Rs 10,012 crore
Rajasthan: Rs 9532 crore
Bihar: Rs 8505 crore
Andhra Pradesh: Rs 8406 crore
Gujarat: Rs 8,332 crore
Karnataka: Rs 7561 crore
Tamil Nadu: Rs 6080 crore
Chhattisgarh: Rs 6008 crore
Jammu and Kashmir: Rs 6,003
Uttarakhand: Rs 5400 crore
Jharkhand: Rs 5,271 crore
Punjab: Rs 4762 crore
Telangana: Rs 4418 crore
Delhi: Rs 2477 crore
Haryana: Rs 2247 crore
Kerala: Rs 2,033 crore
Himachal Pradesh: Rs 1838 crore
Chandigarh: Rs 452 crore
What will modernisation of Indian Railways entail?
Significant allocation from the Indian Railways will be used in the replacement of old tracks, doubling of tracks, and construction of new lines. Apart from these, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said that the Railways will focus on increasing the pace of construction as well. “Currently we construct lines at the rate of 12 km per day. By next year we hope to increase it to 16 km per day,” he had said after the budget. According to an Indian Express report, the Railways hopes to earn around Rs 22,000 crore more next fiscal from its commercial operations. So, its revenue receipts are kept at around Rs 2.65 lakh crore.
The budget this year announced a significant improvement to the coaches of trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto. The Railways is planning to redevelop more than 1,000 coaches of these premier trains. The interiors of these coaches will be modernized and passenger comfort will be improved. According to Railways, Rs 51,510 crore will be spent for rolling stock production.