Housing: Better quarters, colonies, planning to built 6,560 new staff quarters this year;

Health: General Managers can sanction treatment up to Rs. 4 lakh, new burn units at six railway hospitals, upgradation of hospitals in Kolkata, dormitory for patient’s attendants.

For education: New medical colleges with 18 railways hospitals, seven nursing colleges to provide education.

Employment: Job drive for handicapped, better representation to women, minorities, backward sections and sportspersons.

Apart from this the Minister has announced many facilities for the Railways staff’s welfare also:

Apart from this the Minister has announced many facilities for the Railways staff’s welfare also:

For the passenger: No increase in fares, 50 world class stations, 375 Adarsh Stations, Multi-functional complexes at 50 stations, 12 non-stop super faster duronto trains, Yuva AC trains with fares between Rs. 299 and Rs. 399, Doctor on board for every long distance trains, infotainment on Rajdhanis, Shatabdis and some other super fast trains; double-decker AC trains, Toilets on locals like aircraft style, Tatkal charges down from Rs. 150 to Rs. 100, mobile ticketing vans in several areas, free travel now also for madrasa students, ladies special in rush for Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, disabled and aged to have special coaches in trains, and Izzat scheme – a scheme in which with Rs. 25 monthly ticket, poor can travel with dignity.

Madam Speaker, I stand before this august house in support of the railways budget presented by the Railway Minister. I congratulate the Minister of presenting a people friendly budget, without increasing any passenger and freight rates. The budget presented by the Railway Minister is a social budget and not just economic viability should be the yardstick.