Indian Railways Receives Allocation of ₹2.55 Lakh Crore.

Indian Railways has received a budgetary allocation of ₹2.55 lakh crore for the financial year 2024-25. This represents a nearly 5% increase from last fiscal year's allocation of ₹2.4 lakh crore, which was already nine times higher than the allocation in 2013-14.

A significant portion of this year's budget will be dedicated to staff costs, estimated at ₹1.17 lakh crore. Fuel costs, including diesel and electricity, are projected to be ₹10,817 crore and ₹23,744 crore, respectively.

For capital expenditure, the budget estimate for 2024-25 is ₹2,65,200 crore. This includes ₹2,52,000 crore from general revenues, ₹200 crore from the Nirbhaya Fund, ₹3,000 crore from internal resources, and ₹10,000 crore from extra-budgetary resources. This allocation highlights an increased emphasis on public-private partnerships (PPP).

Total receipts for the Railways, including revenues from passenger services, goods, coaching, and other sources, are estimated at ₹2,78,500 crore for FY 2024-25, up from the revised estimate of ₹2,58,600 crore for FY 2023-24.

The net revenue expenditure for the Railways is also set at ₹2,78,500 crore for FY 2024-25, compared to ₹2,58,600 crore in the previous year. Reimbursements for losses on strategic lines have been set at ₹2,648 crore, slightly higher than the ₹2,491.84 crore allocated last year.

Additionally, ₹745 crore has been allocated for debt servicing of market borrowings for national projects. The capital expenditure includes funding for asset acquisition, construction, and replacement, supported by general revenues, the Nirbhaya Fund, and other resources.

ET