V
V.Balasubramani
Guest
[h=2]Why the Rail Budget is an irrelevant colonial hangover drama for TV[/h][h=2]Posted by[/h]
Tisha Srivastav
[h=4]Is there any need for a separate budget for Railways other than political bhashangiri and TV revenue fest?[/h](Turn the clock to a century ago. Already, the fourth largest rail network in the world by 1900, it is becoming one of the biggest and increasingly productive inland freight carrier.Connecting the pre-rail freight options of road and coast as well.)
Earnings are large and even larger when seen in sync with the Government of the day’s own revenue. Any up and down in this directly impacts the Fin Min version of that time. One thing though remains the same – The Legislative Assembly folks back then too are pretty unhappy that people’s expectations are not being fulfilled by the Railways.
Time for radical reform, yes? In 1920-21 it comes in the shape of the Acworth Committee recommendation package, which includes: Separation of the Rail Budget from the General. Creation of a Railway Board and a Financial Commissioner, who could rid the railways of the Finance Ministry bureaucrats and take an independent call. As was the best practice, back then with other networked nations such as the USSR and Japan.
Cut to 2016 February.
The Railways carries what 30-35 % of freight traffic today. More often demanding from the Union Budget rather than being a massive contributor to either that or the GDP. A back of the envelope calculation of the oil, steel sector or any of the Maharatna PSU would have greater volume of sale and revenue. Not to mention, banks with a large asset base. But do they get a budget of their own?
Read more4 at: http://www.newslaundry.com/2016/02/...an-irrelevant-colonial-hangover-drama-for-tv/
Tisha Srivastav
[h=4]Is there any need for a separate budget for Railways other than political bhashangiri and TV revenue fest?[/h](Turn the clock to a century ago. Already, the fourth largest rail network in the world by 1900, it is becoming one of the biggest and increasingly productive inland freight carrier.Connecting the pre-rail freight options of road and coast as well.)
Earnings are large and even larger when seen in sync with the Government of the day’s own revenue. Any up and down in this directly impacts the Fin Min version of that time. One thing though remains the same – The Legislative Assembly folks back then too are pretty unhappy that people’s expectations are not being fulfilled by the Railways.
Time for radical reform, yes? In 1920-21 it comes in the shape of the Acworth Committee recommendation package, which includes: Separation of the Rail Budget from the General. Creation of a Railway Board and a Financial Commissioner, who could rid the railways of the Finance Ministry bureaucrats and take an independent call. As was the best practice, back then with other networked nations such as the USSR and Japan.
Cut to 2016 February.
The Railways carries what 30-35 % of freight traffic today. More often demanding from the Union Budget rather than being a massive contributor to either that or the GDP. A back of the envelope calculation of the oil, steel sector or any of the Maharatna PSU would have greater volume of sale and revenue. Not to mention, banks with a large asset base. But do they get a budget of their own?
Read more4 at: http://www.newslaundry.com/2016/02/...an-irrelevant-colonial-hangover-drama-for-tv/
