Rail Budget 2013 is clearly not populist, but it is not good enough to put the railways back on the track to sustainable growth
The railways is expecting a loss of Rs 24,600 crore in 2012-13.<br /><br />
With the existing rakes providing bare minimum facilities, the introduction of AC units will mark a complete shift in comfort and image of the sub-urban railway network in Mumbai.<br /><br />
The distance between Harmoti and Naharlagun is 23 km. The track is likely to be commissioned within the next fiscal year.
Anubhuti, which means a spiritual experience, are the new coaches that will provide state-of-the-art facility to passengers of select Rajdhanis and Shatabdis.
The bills run up by previous railway ministers are falling due. A part of it has been remedied by raising fares and freight, but Pawan Kumar Bansal's options are narrowing.
On one hand he has has to drive revenue growth and on the other he has make sure pockets are not pinched too much given that general elections are due in 2014.
The huge land banks with railways could be monetised, perhaps with a lease arrangement for setting up plants or green field projects or projects that have linkages with railways themselves
Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has the unenviable task of balancing fiscal prudence with populism as he presents his maiden budget for Indian Railways. We track the latest updates.
Among various options, Railways is contemplating whether to introduce fuel adjustment component in the fare structure to increase fares in all classes or hike passenger fares by a few paise per km, sources said.
With the west going through a phase of raising taxes, India would be ill advised to copy the west, given that the ground reality for the Indian citizen is very different. It could also lose out to SIngapore and Dubai with much lower tax rates.
Any short-term feel-good effect that the Finance Minister may generate in the Indian market with his budget proposals will likely be tempered by developments on the global economic and financial front, over which he has no control.
Raising revenues ans setting its finances in order is the number one priority for railway minister Pawan Kumar Basal, who is all set to present the Rail Budget tomorrow morning.
Chidambaram sowed the seeds of slowdown in 2008, his last budget. In Budget 2013, he will have to swallow crow and make amends for his folly of five years ago.
A country with huge external debts cannot afford a sovereign wealth funds. It is good that the idea is finally being laid to rest due to penury
The FM will be judged not just by what he shows in the FY14 Budget (Budget 2013, due on 28 February) but also on whether he maintains fiscal discipline over the course of the year despite political pressure.<br /><br /> <br /><br />
Finance Minister P Chidambaram could defy history if he presents a largely austere 2013/14 budget on February 28, ahead of general elections next year.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram is known as a market reformer, with his investor and business friendly policies. Today's Firstpost Budget Live Debate focused on what this Budget will have in store for India Inc and the rising middle class.
We have discussed below a few industry-specific as well as generic issues that are plaguing various sectors from an indirect tax perspective.
Is Ahluwalia slowly losing his prime his tag as the PM's most trusted advisor to Chidambaram?
Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in trains and stations, providing quality linen, upgradation of fire-fighting arrangements and new facilities for differently abled persons are some of the measures likely to be announced
Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram are going to leave India more vulnerable to external shocks than ever. To uphold national interest, they have to sacrifice short-term political calculations
Besides tweaking the freight rate, railways is likely to announce a slew of schemes to attract goods loading business from the road sector.
The Budget for 2013-14, to be unveiled on 28 February by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, will itself address key issues like declining industrial output, widening fiscal deficit and decelerating economic growth.
The old estate duty was payable by the executors of the estate of a deceased under the Estate Duty Act, 1953.
The freight loading target of 1025 MT for FY13 is likely to be achieved, says Sachin Bhanushali from Gateway Rail Freight.
If only the FM would take a look at the cash-strapped government's ever-expanding list of ministries and regulatory agencies, he would realise that by just downsizing the government staff strength by 5 percent, he can save nearly Rs 6,000 crore.
The realty sector needs a better environment to make a stronger footprint in tier II and III towns.
If Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram announces a net borrowing figure of Rs 5 lakh crore or less for the year starting April 1, analysts say a 30 basis point drop in yields over the past two months could triple this year.
FM P Chidambaram is planning to cut the public spending target for fiscal 2013/14 by up to 10 percent from this year's original target, in what would be the most austere budget unveiled in recent history as he tries to avert a sovereign credit downgrade.