National News

New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Outlines Railway Budget 2024

Sentinel Digital Desk

Published:24th Jul, 2024 at 7:32 PM

NEW DELHI: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw underscored the government’s commitment to modernizing Indian Railways with robust budget allocation on Wednesday, July 24. Addressing a press conference Vaishnaw emphasized that substantial portion of the budget is dedicated to enhancing railway infrastructure. Service capabilities are also a focus area, as outlined in the Railway Budget 2024.

The FY 2024-25 budget features significant financial investments across various states. Jammu and Kashmir will receive ₹3694 crore, Uttarakhand is allocated ₹5,131 crore, Uttar Pradesh is set to benefit greatly from ₹19848 crore, Himachal Pradesh from ₹2,698 crore, and Delhi from ₹2582 crore, Rajasthan will see allocation of ₹9,959 crore, the North East will receive ₹10376 crore, Odisha, in particular stands out with an impressive allocation of ₹10,586 crore for multiple rail-infrastructure projects

Vaishnaw also provided updates on the progress of ongoing railway projects. This includes the development of sleeper coaches for Vande Metro and Vande Bharat trains. These have reached the testing phase. He highlighted the government's efforts in preparing for the Kumbh Mela 2025. There is dedicated budget of ₹837 crore for infrastructure improvements related to the event. Preparations are well underway. Over 40 projects are in motion. This includes the redevelopment of Prayagraj station. The introduction of special trains is also planned. A joint command structure will be established to oversee operations during the event.

In response to recent concerns about railway safety the Minister announced the rollout of Kavach 0.4. This is an advanced safety system designed to prevent train accidents. The final version of Kavach 0.4 will be installed in 10,000 engines across India. Vaishnaw emphasized the importance of addressing safety with sensitivity. He noted a 60% reduction in accidents since the UPA era. He reassured that increased safety allocations reflect a commitment to protecting every life. He framed it as a humanitarian rather than political issue.

Vaishnaw also tackled issues regarding food hygiene on trains. He revealed plans to construct 100 new large kitchens, deep clean pantry cars and implement an AI system to monitor food quality aiming to enhance passenger satisfaction and safety.