Railway Budget 2024-25: Record Allocation and Key Highlights

The Indian Railways has been allocated a record capital expenditure (Capex) of Rs 2,62,200 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25, maintaining the same level as announced in the Interim Budget 2024. This allocation is part of the Union Budget 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with Gross Budgetary Support of Rs 2,52,200 crore for Railways, up from Rs 2,40,200 crore in 2023-24 and significantly higher than Rs 28,174 crore in 2013-14.

Economic Resilience and Inclusive Growth

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the economy’s resilience and strong footing, combining welfare, fiscal prudence, capital investment, and manufacturing. He highlighted that the budget continues the economic policies focused on inclusive growth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over the last decade.

Milestones and Achievements

Freight and Revenue Growth

  • Indian Railways achieved an all-time high freight loading of 1588 MT in FY 2023-24, up from 1095 MT in 2014-15, with a goal of reaching 3,000 MT by 2030.
  • Total receipts for 2023-24 were Rs 2,56,093 crore, generating a net revenue of Rs 3,260 crore to supplement Capex.

Infrastructure Development

  • Railways commissioned 31,180 track kms in the past decade, with the pace of track laying increasing from 4 km per day in 2014-15 to 14.54 km per day in 2023-24.
  • Electrification of 41,655 Route Kms (RKMs) from 2014-2024, compared to 21,413 Route Kms till 2014.

Safety and Industrial Development

  • Significant funds allocated for safety-related activities.
  • Additional funds for industrial infrastructure development at strategic nodes on various Industrial Corridors, aiming to catalyze industrial growth in eastern India.

New Initiatives and Corridors

The Railways adopted a new approach for infrastructure development under the PM Gati Shakti Mission, identifying:

  • Three Economic Railway Corridors: Energy, Mineral, and Cement (192 Projects).
  • Port Connectivity Corridors (42 Projects).
  • High Traffic Density Corridors (200 Projects).

Piyush Shukla

Recent Posts

Sowcar Janaki Dies at 94: Remembering a Legendary Career

Renowned Indian actress Sowcar Janaki breathed her last at the age of 94 on August…

10 hours ago

PM-AASHA Scheme 2026: Objectives, MSP Benefits, Components and Latest Updates

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is an initiative of the central government that…

10 hours ago

Who Is Yu Zidi? Meet the 13-Year-Old Chinese Swimmer Set to Feature in Asian Games 2026

Many of the finest sport athletes of Asia will be participating in the Asian Games…

12 hours ago

What Is Analogue Paneer? Why States Are Banning It and What Consumers Need to Know

Paneer is one of the most popular and widely used ingredients in India. However, recently…

12 hours ago

Ashutosh Parida to Receive Sarala Puraskar 2026 for Poetry

Prominent Odia poet, essayist, and former scientist at CSIR-IMMT, Ashutosh Parida has been chosen for…

13 hours ago

RBI Appoints S Somanath, Reappoints Anand Mahindra to Central Board

The Reserve Bank of India has named former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation,…

13 hours ago