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'''Railway budget of India''' was the Annual Financial Statement for [[Indian Railways]] administered by the Railway Board, which handles [[rail transport in India]]. It was presented every year by the [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]], representing the [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Ministry of Railways]], in the [[Parliament of India|Parliament]].
'''Railway budget of India''' was the Annual Financial Statement for [[Indian Railways]] administered by the Railway Board, which handles [[rail transport in India]]. It was presented every year by the [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]], representing the [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Ministry of Railways]], in the [[Parliament of India|Parliament]].


The Railway Budget was presented every year, a few days before the [[Union budget of India|Union budget]], till 2016. [[Modi government]] on 21 September 2016 approved merger of the Rail and [[Union budget of India|General budgets]] from the next year, ending a 92-year-old practice of a separate budget for the nation's largest transporter.The decision to merge the Railway Budget with the Union Budget was made in 2016, following the submission of a white paper titled 'Dispensing with the Railway Budget' by the NITI Aayog Committee chaired by Bibek Debroy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Led To The Merger Of Railway And Union Budget In 2017 |url=https://www.ndtv.com/business-news/union-budget-2025-what-led-to-the-merger-of-railway-and-union-budget-in-2017-7517662#:~:text=The%20decision%20to%20merge%20the,to%20the%20decades-old%20practice. |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}}</ref> The paper was presented to Railways Minister [[Suresh Prabhu]] said that this merger proposal was in the long term interest of railways as well as the country's economy and was a colonial practice that needed to be ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Railway-budget-to-be-merged-with-General-budget-from-2017/article14570182.ece1|title=Railway budget to be merged with General budget from 2017|work=The Hindu |date=14 August 2016|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>
The Railway Budget was presented every year, a few days before the [[Union budget of India|Union budget]], till 2016. [[Modi government]] on 21 September 2016 approved merger of the Rail and [[Union budget of India|General budgets]] from the next year, ending a 92-year-old practice of a separate budget for the nation's largest transporter.The decision to merge the Railway Budget with the Union Budget was made in 2016, following the submission of a white paper titled 'Dispensing with the Railway Budget' by the NITI Aayog Committee chaired by Bibek Debroy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What Led To The Merger Of Railway And Union Budget In 2017 |url=https://www.ndtv.com/business-news/union-budget-2025-what-led-to-the-merger-of-railway-and-union-budget-in-2017-7517662#:~:text=The%20decision%20to%20merge%20the,to%20the%20decades-old%20practice. |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}}</ref> The paper was presented to Railways Minister [[Suresh Prabhu]] said that this merger proposal was in the long term interest of railways as well as the country's economy and was a colonial practice that needed to be ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Railway-budget-to-be-merged-with-General-budget-from-2017/article14570182.ece1|title=Railway budget to be merged with General budget from 2017|work=The Hindu |date=14 August 2016|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Following the recommendation of the Acworth Committee in 1920–21, headed by British railway economist [[William Mitchell Acworth|William Acworth]]&lt;ref&gt;{{London Gazette|issue=32188  |date=11 January 1921 |supp=y |page=278}}&lt;/ref&gt; The "Acworth Report" led to reorganisation of railways, and the railway finances were separated from the general government finances in 1924. After that, in 1924, the budget was announced, a practice that continued till 2016.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite book|last=Powell Anstey|first=Vera|title=The Economic Development of India|year=1977|orig-year=1952|edition=4th|publisher=Ayer Publishing|pages=136–137|isbn=9780405097751|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fq1MVCSqu4sC&amp;q=acworth+committee&amp;pg=PA136}}&lt;/ref&gt;&lt;ref&gt;{{cite book|last=Headrick|first=Daniel R|title=The tentacles of progress: technology transfer in the age of imperialism, 1850-1940|year=1988|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=9780195051162|pages=80|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0wjDxYlArQAC&amp;q=acworth+committee&amp;pg=PA80}}&lt;/ref&gt;&lt;ref&gt;{{cite news|last=Debroy|first=Bibek|title=Railway Budget 2012: Best time to raise fares is now|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-06/news/31127130_1_railways-budget-acworth-committee-railway-finances|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222161622/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-06/news/31127130_1_railways-budget-acworth-committee-railway-finances|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 February 2014|access-date=19 March 2012|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=6 March 2012}}&lt;/ref&gt;
Following the recommendation of the Acworth Committee in 1920–21, headed by British railway economist [[William Mitchell Acworth|William Acworth]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=32188  |date=11 January 1921 |supp=y |page=278}}</ref> The "Acworth Report" led to reorganisation of railways, and the railway finances were separated from the general government finances in 1924. After that, in 1924, the budget was announced, a practice that continued till 2016.<ref>{{cite book|last=Powell Anstey|first=Vera|title=The Economic Development of India|year=1977|orig-year=1952|edition=4th|publisher=Ayer Publishing|pages=136–137|isbn=9780405097751|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fq1MVCSqu4sC&amp;q=acworth+committee&amp;pg=PA136}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Headrick|first=Daniel R|title=The tentacles of progress: technology transfer in the age of imperialism, 1850-1940|year=1988|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=9780195051162|pages=80|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0wjDxYlArQAC&amp;q=acworth+committee&amp;pg=PA80}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Debroy|first=Bibek|title=Railway Budget 2012: Best time to raise fares is now|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-06/news/31127130_1_railways-budget-acworth-committee-railway-finances|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222161622/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-03-06/news/31127130_1_railways-budget-acworth-committee-railway-finances|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 February 2014|access-date=19 March 2012|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=6 March 2012}}</ref>
   
   
[[John Matthai]] presented the first Railway Budget for Independent India on 20 November 1947, the Interim Railway Budget. Then, just 3 months later, he presented his second Railway Budget on 24 February 1948 where revised estimates showed a fall in earnings of about 8 crores rupees as compared with the budget estimates.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web | title=This Day 73 Years Ago, Independent India's First Interim Railway Budget Was Presented by John Mathai| date=20 November 2020| url=https://www.railpost.in/this-day-73-years-ago-independent-indias-first-interim-railway-budget-was-presented-by-john-mathai/}}&lt;/ref&gt;&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web | title=Speech of DR. JOHN MATTHAI introducing the Railway Budget for 1948-49, on 24th February 1948. | url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1948-49.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712171158/https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1948-49.pdf | archive-date=12 July 2021 | access-date=12 July 2021 | url-status=bot: unknown }}&lt;/ref&gt;
[[John Matthai]] presented the first Railway Budget for Independent India on 20 November 1947, the Interim Railway Budget. Then, just 3 months later, he presented his second Railway Budget on 24 February 1948 where revised estimates showed a fall in earnings of about 8 crores rupees as compared with the budget estimates.<ref>{{cite web | title=This Day 73 Years Ago, Independent India's First Interim Railway Budget Was Presented by John Mathai| date=20 November 2020| url=https://www.railpost.in/this-day-73-years-ago-independent-indias-first-interim-railway-budget-was-presented-by-john-mathai/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Speech of DR. JOHN MATTHAI introducing the Railway Budget for 1948-49, on 24th February 1948. | url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1948-49.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712171158/https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/1948-49.pdf | archive-date=12 July 2021 | access-date=12 July 2021 | url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref>


[[Jagjivan Ram]] and [[Nirmala Sitharaman]] the current Finance Minister under the Modi Government 3.0 have presented the railway budget most 7 times.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web |title=लालू यादव नहीं, इन्होंने सबसे ज्यादा बार पेश किया था रेल बजट |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/hindi/business-news/babu-jagjivan-ram-is-the-railway-minister-who-present-rail-budget-maximum-7-times/1026350/ |language=hi}}&lt;/ref&gt;
[[Jagjivan Ram]] and [[Nirmala Sitharaman]] the current Finance Minister under the Modi Government 3.0 have presented the railway budget most 7 times.<ref>{{cite web |title=लालू यादव नहीं, इन्होंने सबसे ज्यादा बार पेश किया था रेल बजट |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/hindi/business-news/babu-jagjivan-ram-is-the-railway-minister-who-present-rail-budget-maximum-7-times/1026350/ |language=hi}}</ref>


The first live telecast took place on 24 March 1994.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web |title=Railway budget derailed: Five facts you probably didn't know |date=21 September 2016 |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/business/budget/railway-budget-derailed-5-facts-you-probably-didnt-know/}}&lt;/ref&gt;
The first live telecast took place on 24 March 1994.<ref>{{cite web |title=Railway budget derailed: Five facts you probably didn't know |date=21 September 2016 |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/business/budget/railway-budget-derailed-5-facts-you-probably-didnt-know/}}</ref>
[[File:The Union Minister of Railways Shri Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget, 2004 - 2005 in New Delhi on July 5, 2004.jpg|thumb|The Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget, 2004 - 2005 in New Delhi on July 5, 2004]]
[[File:The Union Minister of Railways Shri Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget, 2004 - 2005 in New Delhi on July 5, 2004.jpg|thumb|The Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget, 2004 - 2005 in New Delhi on July 5, 2004]]
[[Lalu Prasad Yadav]], who remained Railways Minister from 2004 to May 2009, presented the railway budget 6 times in a row. In 2009, under his tenure a {{INRConvert|108|b}} budget was passed.&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web | title =  Lalu announces some more trains| url = http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022053181300.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090223140512/http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022053181300.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 23 February 2009 |date=20 February 2009| work =  [[The Hindu]]| access-date = 14 September 2013}}&lt;/ref&gt;
[[Lalu Prasad Yadav]], who remained Railways Minister from 2004 to May 2009, presented the railway budget 6 times in a row. In 2009, under his tenure a {{INRConvert|108|b}} budget was passed.<ref>{{cite web | title =  Lalu announces some more trains| url = http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022053181300.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090223140512/http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022053181300.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 23 February 2009 |date=20 February 2009| work =  [[The Hindu]]| access-date = 14 September 2013}}</ref>


In the year 1999, [[Mamata Banerjee]] (later [[Chief Minister of West Bengal|Chief Minister]] of [[West Bengal]]) became the first female [[Minister of Railways (India)|Railway Minister]]. In 2000, she became the first female to present the Railway budget&lt;ref&gt;{{cite web |title=Speech of Kumari Mamata Banerjee Introducing the Railway Budget for 2000-01, on 25th February 2000 |url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/2000-01.pdf}}&lt;/ref&gt; and is the only woman to do so for two different governing coalitions ([[National Democratic Alliance (India)|NDA]] and [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]]).
In the year 1999, [[Mamata Banerjee]] (later [[Chief Minister of West Bengal|Chief Minister]] of [[West Bengal]]) became the first female [[Minister of Railways (India)|Railway Minister]]. In 2000, she became the first female to present the Railway budget<ref>{{cite web |title=Speech of Kumari Mamata Banerjee Introducing the Railway Budget for 2000-01, on 25th February 2000 |url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/2000-01.pdf}}</ref> and is the only woman to do so for two different governing coalitions ([[National Democratic Alliance (India)|NDA]] and [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]]).


In 2014 budget, Railway Minister [[D. V. Sadananda Gowda]] announced the first [[Shinkansen|bullet train]] and 9 [[High-speed rail in India|High-Speed Rail routes]].&lt;ref&gt;{{cite news|title=Gowda's announces first bullet train between Mumbai-Ahmedabad|url=http://www.patrika.com/news/gowdas-rail-budget-might-include-bullet-train/1016461|access-date=8 July 2014|work=Patrika Group|date=8 July 2014}}&lt;/ref&gt;
In 2014 budget, Railway Minister [[D. V. Sadananda Gowda]] announced the first [[Shinkansen|bullet train]] and 9 [[High-speed rail in India|High-Speed Rail routes]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Gowda's announces first bullet train between Mumbai-Ahmedabad|url=http://www.patrika.com/news/gowdas-rail-budget-might-include-bullet-train/1016461|access-date=8 July 2014|work=Patrika Group|date=8 July 2014}}</ref>


The last Railway Budget was presented on 25 February 2016 by Mr. [[Suresh Prabhu]].&lt;ref&gt;{{Cite web|title = After 92 years, Rail Budget is history|url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/after-92-years-rail-budget-is-history-116092100575_1.html|website = Business Standard|access-date = 24 March 2017|language = en-US}}&lt;/ref&gt;
The last Railway Budget was presented on 25 February 2016 by Mr. [[Suresh Prabhu]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = After 92 years, Rail Budget is history|url = http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/after-92-years-rail-budget-is-history-116092100575_1.html|website = Business Standard|access-date = 24 March 2017|language = en-US}}</ref>


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
Traditions included the Railway Minister making final changes to the budget, carrying the briefcase with the budget documents, and attending an after budget press meet.&lt;gallery&gt;
Traditions included the Railway Minister making final changes to the budget, carrying the briefcase with the budget documents, and attending an after budget press meet.<gallery>
File:The Union Minister for Railways Shri Nitish Kumar entering Parliament to present Interim Railway Budget (2004-05) in New Delhi on January 30, 2004.jpg|alt=The Union Minister for Railways Shri Nitish Kumar entering Parliament to present Interim Railway Budget (2004-05) in New Delhi on January 30, 2004|The then Union Minister for Railways, [[Nitish Kumar]] entering the Parliament to present the Interim Railway Budget (2004-05) in New Delhi on January 30, 2004
File:The Union Minister for Railways Shri Nitish Kumar entering Parliament to present Interim Railway Budget (2004-05) in New Delhi on January 30, 2004.jpg|alt=The Union Minister for Railways Shri Nitish Kumar entering Parliament to present Interim Railway Budget (2004-05) in New Delhi on January 30, 2004|The then Union Minister for Railways, [[Nitish Kumar]] entering the Parliament to present the Interim Railway Budget (2004-05) in New Delhi on January 30, 2004
File:The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget 2005-06 in New Delhi on February 25, 2005.jpg|The then Union Minister for Railways, [[Lalu Prasad Yadav|Lalu Prasad]] giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget of 2005-06 in New Delhi on February 25, 2005
File:The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget 2005-06 in New Delhi on February 25, 2005.jpg|The then Union Minister for Railways, [[Lalu Prasad Yadav|Lalu Prasad]] giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget of 2005-06 in New Delhi on February 25, 2005
Line 33: Line 33:
File:The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge arrives at Parliament House to present the Interim Railway Budget 2014-15documents, in New Delhi on February 12, 2014.jpg|The then Union Minister for Railways, [[Mallikarjun Kharge]] arriving at the Parliament House to present the Interim Railway Budget of 2014-15, in New Delhi on February 12, 2014
File:The Union Minister for Railways, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge arrives at Parliament House to present the Interim Railway Budget 2014-15documents, in New Delhi on February 12, 2014.jpg|The then Union Minister for Railways, [[Mallikarjun Kharge]] arriving at the Parliament House to present the Interim Railway Budget of 2014-15, in New Delhi on February 12, 2014
File:Dinesh Trivedi interacting with the media persons after presentation of Railway Budget 2012-13, in New Delhi. The Ministers of State for Railways.jpg|Dinesh Trivedi interacting with the media persons after presentation of the Railway Budget of 2012-13, in New Delhi.
File:Dinesh Trivedi interacting with the media persons after presentation of Railway Budget 2012-13, in New Delhi. The Ministers of State for Railways.jpg|Dinesh Trivedi interacting with the media persons after presentation of the Railway Budget of 2012-13, in New Delhi.
&lt;/gallery&gt;
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==

Latest revision as of 10:04, 22 March 2026


Minister of Railways, Lalu Prasad after giving final touches to the Railway Budget 2009–10, in New Delhi on February 12, 2009

Railway budget of India was the Annual Financial Statement for Indian Railways administered by the Railway Board, which handles rail transport in India. It was presented every year by the Minister of Railways, representing the Ministry of Railways, in the Parliament.

The Railway Budget was presented every year, a few days before the Union budget, till 2016. Modi government on 21 September 2016 approved merger of the Rail and General budgets from the next year, ending a 92-year-old practice of a separate budget for the nation's largest transporter.The decision to merge the Railway Budget with the Union Budget was made in 2016, following the submission of a white paper titled 'Dispensing with the Railway Budget' by the NITI Aayog Committee chaired by Bibek Debroy.[1] The paper was presented to Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said that this merger proposal was in the long term interest of railways as well as the country's economy and was a colonial practice that needed to be ended.[2]

History[edit | edit source]

Following the recommendation of the Acworth Committee in 1920–21, headed by British railway economist William Acworth[3] The "Acworth Report" led to reorganisation of railways, and the railway finances were separated from the general government finances in 1924. After that, in 1924, the budget was announced, a practice that continued till 2016.[4][5][6]

John Matthai presented the first Railway Budget for Independent India on 20 November 1947, the Interim Railway Budget. Then, just 3 months later, he presented his second Railway Budget on 24 February 1948 where revised estimates showed a fall in earnings of about 8 crores rupees as compared with the budget estimates.[7][8]

Jagjivan Ram and Nirmala Sitharaman the current Finance Minister under the Modi Government 3.0 have presented the railway budget most 7 times.[9]

The first live telecast took place on 24 March 1994.[10]

The Union Minister of Railways Lalu Prasad giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget, 2004 - 2005 in New Delhi on July 5, 2004

Lalu Prasad Yadav, who remained Railways Minister from 2004 to May 2009, presented the railway budget 6 times in a row. In 2009, under his tenure a 108 billion (US$1.5 billion) budget was passed.[11]

In the year 1999, Mamata Banerjee (later Chief Minister of West Bengal) became the first female Railway Minister. In 2000, she became the first female to present the Railway budget[12] and is the only woman to do so for two different governing coalitions (NDA and UPA).

In 2014 budget, Railway Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda announced the first bullet train and 9 High-Speed Rail routes.[13]

The last Railway Budget was presented on 25 February 2016 by Mr. Suresh Prabhu.[14]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Traditions included the Railway Minister making final changes to the budget, carrying the briefcase with the budget documents, and attending an after budget press meet.

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "What Led To The Merger Of Railway And Union Budget In 2017". www.ndtv.com. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  2. "Railway budget to be merged with General budget from 2017". The Hindu. 14 August 2016 – via www.thehindu.com.
  3. "No. 32188". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 1921. p. 278.
  4. Powell Anstey, Vera (1977) [1952]. The Economic Development of India (4th ed.). Ayer Publishing. pp. 136–137. ISBN 9780405097751.
  5. Headrick, Daniel R (1988). The tentacles of progress: technology transfer in the age of imperialism, 1850-1940. Oxford University Press. p. 80. ISBN 9780195051162.
  6. Debroy, Bibek (6 March 2012). "Railway Budget 2012: Best time to raise fares is now". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  7. "This Day 73 Years Ago, Independent India's First Interim Railway Budget Was Presented by John Mathai". 20 November 2020.
  8. "Speech of DR. JOHN MATTHAI introducing the Railway Budget for 1948-49, on 24th February 1948" (PDF). Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. "लालू यादव नहीं, इन्होंने सबसे ज्यादा बार पेश किया था रेल बजट" (in हिन्दी).
  10. "Railway budget derailed: Five facts you probably didn't know". 21 September 2016.
  11. "Lalu announces some more trains". The Hindu. 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  12. "Speech of Kumari Mamata Banerjee Introducing the Railway Budget for 2000-01, on 25th February 2000" (PDF).
  13. "Gowda's announces first bullet train between Mumbai-Ahmedabad". Patrika Group. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  14. "After 92 years, Rail Budget is history". Business Standard. Retrieved 24 March 2017.

Further reading[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]