Budget merger will be very helpful: MoS Railways

The Centre's decision to merge the railway Budget with the general Budget will be "helpful" for the Railways, especially from a funding point of view, Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain said today.

"Rather, it will be very helpful," he told reporters here, when asked if there would be "any difficulty" for the Railways with the central government's decision to merge the two Budgets.

While earlier the onus for funding was on the Railways itself, this responsibility will now go to the government, Gohain said, adding that the move will also help Railways in improving its "functionality".

Ending a 92-year-old tradition, the Union Cabinet had on Wednesday decided to merge the rail Budget with the general Budget, with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu saying the merger would not impact the functional autonomy of the Railways but help in enhancing capital expenditure.

On the issue of flexi-ticket pricing being implemented in select Shatabdi and Duronto trains, Gohain, here on an official visit, said it has been "very successful." "There has been a positive response (from passengers) and the revenue has increased. It is very successful," he said.

Responding to a question on installation of CCTV cameras in trains to enhance security, he said it would be done across the country "gradually.