Rail Budget 2016 highlights: 'Core aim is to grow, create jobs, provide service'

New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said Thursday the core objectives of this year’s Budget was to become an engine of economic growth, to create employment and to provide better service to customers.

Here are highlights from Railway Budget, 2016.

1.10 pm: No changes in passenger fares and freight rates in Railway Budget for 2016-17. Railways to borrow Rs 18,580 crore in 2016-17 fiscal.

1.09 pm: Time-table freight container train to be run on pilot basis. Direct procurement of diesel to help save Rs 1,500 crore in 2016-17.

1.08 pm: Holding company to be explored for monetising assets of Railway companies. Railway Board to be re-organised.

1.07 pm: Foreign Rail Technological Cooperation scheme to be formulated for technological upgradation.

1.06 pm: A sum of Rs 50 crore has been set aside for innovation grants.

1.05 pm: "Intend to use drones and GPS for monitoring physically remote projects."

1.04 pm: 'Clean My Coach' service through SMS on pan-India basis. Deendayalu coaches in long-distance trains will be for unreserved travel.

1.03 pm: "Intend to give special focus on exploring advertisement potential."

1.02 pm: "An independent regulation mechanism -- Rail Development Authority -- is necessary for which the draft is ready."

1.00 pm: "Will partner with Gujarat, Telangana and Tamil Nadu for developing suburban section in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Chennai by innovative financing mechanism."

12.58 pm: Aastha circuit will connect primary pilgrim centres.

12.57 pm: Country's first rail auto-hub to be set up in Chennai to tap the automobile sector.

12.56 pm: Railside logistics parks and warehouses to be created in public-private partnerships.

12.55 pm: FM radio stations will be invited to provide train-borne entertainment via public announcement systems.

12.52 pm: Two apps to integrate all services -- one for ticketing and the other for grievances.

12.51 pm: Porters to have new uniforms, will be trained and referred as 'sahayaks', not coolies.

12.50 pm: Braille-enabled train wagons to be implemented for differently-abled people. Online booking of wheelchairs enabled.

12.47 am: GPS services will be provided inside coaches, with increased number of information boards.

12.46 pm: Mandatory catering services will be available on trains. Local cuisines of choice will be made available to passengers.

12.45 pm: Bar-coded tickets, e-booking on concession passes for journalists to be introduced.

12.43 pm: 'Sab ka saath, sab ka vikaas, is not merely a slogan for us. Every customer is our brand ambassador,' says Prabhu.

12.42 pm: Overnight double-decker Uday expresses to be introduced on busiest routes.

12.41 pm: 33% quota for women for railway reservation purposes. Baby food, hot milk, and hot water will be made available for travelling mothers.

12.40 pm: National academy of Indian railways at Vadodara identified as first institution which will be upgraded to a full-fledged rail university.

12.37 pm: Increase in senior citizen quota/coach by 50 per cent. Increase in quota of lower berths in coming financial year.

12.36 pm: Urge social organizations' participation to beautify railway stations. "We call for social organizations' participation to beautify our stations."

12.35 pm: "On 'Make in India', we've bid for 2 locomotive companies with order book of Rs 40,000 crore."

Sonia Gandhi and other members of the Congress in Lok Sabha during Railway Budget.

12.35 pm: "Introduced WiFi in 100 stations this year. Plan to introduce WiFi to 400 stations over the next 2 years. Introduced 1,780 automatic ticket vending machines, mobile apps, GoIndia smart cards for cashless purchase of UTS and PRS ticket."

12.34 pm: Railway stations to be renovated under PPP model. "We will formulate a framework where net saving from electrification will be able to finance capital expenditure."

12.26 pm: New locomotive factories to be set up with an order book of 40,000 crore rupees. Aim is to ensure 100 per cent transparency. Social media is being used as a tool to improve transparency.

12.25 pm: "Every rupee in investment in Railways has the capacity to increase economy wide output of Rs 5."

12.24 pm: By 2020, high end technology to significantly improve safety record.

12.23 pm: "North-East is an important part of the country, connectivity will be increased in the north eastern section of the country as well. Mizoram and Manipur to be brought under broad gauge soon."

12.20 pm: Government expects revenue growth of over 10% this year. Indian Railways to surpass ambitious target of commissioning 2,500 kms of broad gauge lines, almost 30% higher than last year.

Prime Minister and Home Minister at the Lok Sabha during the Railway Budget.

12.18 pm: "I'm happy to announce that action has been initiated on 139 budget announcements made last year. Action initiated to look into the prevailing loopholes in the system, bankable railway projects are assured of funding."

12.17 pm: "Core objective is to grow, create jobs and provide service. Rail Budget's three Rs are-restructure, reorganize and rejuvenate."

12.15 pm: "We will be at the forefront of infrastructure investment in the country. Our investment will be close to the double of previous years, a feat never achieved before. We need to reorganise and rejuvenate the Indian Railways. We need to re-imagine conventional ways of solving issues. We will focus on zero based budgeting approach."

12.11 pm: "For year 2016-17, we expect the operating ratio of 92 per cent. Rs 8720 crore saved from the last year's budget estimate."

12.10 pm: "Focus is on increasing revenues, will exploit new sources of revenue, introduction of new norms to ensure optimal productivity. Co-operation, collaboration and communication -- hallmarks of Indian Railways' journey forward."

12.07 pm: "This budget reflects the aspirations of the common man. Rail Budget 2016 is a story of transformation. These are challenging times, may be one of toughest but we wouldn't be marred by them."

12.05 pm: "This is not my budget but this is a budget that reflects the aspirations of families in India," said Suresh Prabhu as he started presenting the Railway Budget. "This budget is inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who believes in making the Railways the backbone of India’s progress and economic development.

11.30 am: Suresh Prabhu, along with MoS Railways Manoj Sinha, reaches Parliament to present his second Railway Budget.

11.15 am: Suresh Prabhu on his arrival at the Rail Bhawan, told reporters that he was hopeful that his Ministry will be successful in addressing the needs and aspirations of people of country.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu arrives at Rail Bhawan ahead of the Rail Budget presentation (Photo: Twitter)