Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated February 24, 1956: Railway Budget

The Railway Minister, Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri, announced in the Lok Sabha on February 23 a proposal to levy a surcharge of one anna in the rupee on all freight traffic, with the exception of grain and pulses, fodder, manure, khadi, newspapers, newsprint and books. The surcharge would add Rs.11.6 crores to the revenue during 1956-57. This step was being taken, he said, to fill the gap between Railway revenue and the contribution which they were expected to make towards financing the Second Five-Year Plan for the Railways. Mr. Shastri, who presented the Railway Budget for 1956-57, made no new proposals in regard to passenger fares. It was the intention of the Government, he said, to abolish the existing third class and to rename it as second class with sleeping accommodation in one or two separate coaches. The financial year 1954-55 ended in a surplus of Rs.9.1 crores. The Railways themselves were expected to provide Rs.375 crores or one-third out of the total allocation of Rs.1,125 crores made in the Second Plan. The Minister announced that during the coming year it was proposed to survey 15 new projects. Among them were: a line from Nellore to Maidukur, Manamadurai to Virudhunagar via Arupukottai, and Chinnasalem to Chingleput via Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai and Wandiwash. He also announced that the Railways would in future issue concession return tickets for the general public at one and a half times the single ticket fare between July 15 and September 30 each year. The return tickets would be issued for distances over 300 miles, and with a graded period of availability varying with the distance. The concession, now available to students travelling in groups of four between their homes and their educational institutions, would in future be available to students even when travelling singly.

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