Railway budhet 2009: Highlights

• Railway budget highlights:
  Passenger and freight rates left unchanged across the board.
  Railways earn net revenue of Rs8,121 crore in 2008-09.
  Railways to pay higher dividend of Rs5,479 crore to the Centre in FY 2010.
  Tatkal charges reduced from Rs150 to Rs100.
  Ladies' specials on suburban train routes during peak hours.
  'Izzat' monthly tickets of Rs25 (for up to 100 km travel) for people from the unorganised sector with an income of less than Rs1,500 per month.
  New coach factory at Kanchrapara in West Bengal.
  Cold storage facilities for farmers to store vegetables and fruits.
  Talks to take over ailing wagon manufacturing units.
  18,000 wagons to be acquired during the current year.
  Railway medical colleges and rail hospitals on public-private partnership basis.
  Student concession will cover madrassa students.
  Special coaches for disabled and aged people.
  50 stations to be developed along world-class standards.
  375 stations to be upgraded as 'Adarsh' stations, with basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets and ladies' dormitories.
  Availability of doctors on-board long-distance trains.
  On-board infotainment services to be provided.
  6,560 staff quarters to be constructed in 2009-10.
  High-capacity double-decker A/C trains to be introduced.
  57 new trains to be introduced.
  12 non-stop trains to be introduced.
  Accredited journalists to get 50% rebate; also once a year with spouse.
  1,000 MW power plant proposed in tribal area Adra.
  Cash surplus of Rs17,400 crore before dividend.
  Railways have investible surplus of Rs12,681 crore.
  Annual plan expenditure pegged at Rs36,336 crore.