40,000 normal rail bogies to be converted to Vande Bharat standards: FM Nirmala

NEW DELHI: Emphasising the development of railways, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Interim Budget 2024-25 said that 40,000 normal rail bogies will be converted to the Vande Bharat Standards to enhance the safety and comfort of passengers. "Forty thousand normal rail bogies will be converted to the Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety, convenience and comfort of passengers," FM Sitharaman said.

The Finance Minister further said that three major economic railway corridor programmes-- energy, mineral and cement corridors, port connectivity corridors, and high traffic density corridors--will be implemented.

"The resultant decongestion of the high-traffic corridors will also help in improving operations of passenger trains, resulting in safety and higher travel speed for passengers. Together with dedicated freight corridors, these three economic corridor programmes will accelerate our GDP growth and reduce logistic costs," she asserted. "The projects have been identified under the PM Gati Shakti for enabling multi-modal connectivity.

They will improve logistics efficiency and reduce cost," the Finance Minister added. Asserting confidence that the BJP government will retain the power after Lok Sabha elections this year, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "In the full budget in July, 'our Government' will present a detailed roadmap for our pursuit of Viksit Bharat."

During the presentation of the interim budget on the floor of the Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared that the Indian economy has undergone a profound positive transformation over the last decade. "Indian economy witnessed a profound positive transformation in the last 10 years," the Finance Minister said. Presenting the Interim Budget for the fiscal year, Sitharaman highlighted the government's commitment to inclusive development under the vision of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Vishwas."

"In the second term, our government strengthened its vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Vishwas," stated Sitharaman, emphasizing the continuity of the government's commitment to the welfare of all citizens.

She acknowledged the challenges posed by the once-in-a-century pandemic but noted that the country successfully overcame them, continuing its stride towards building an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) committed to Panch Pran and laying solid foundations for the Amrit Kaal. The Finance Minister underscored the need to focus on four major pillars: the poor, women, youth, and annadatas (farmers).

The Finance Minister concluded her budget presentation with a positive outlook, signalling the government's determination to continue fostering inclusive growth and development.

The Budget 2024 is expected to undergo thorough scrutiny and debates in the coming days in the Parliament, as stakeholders assess its potential impact on the nation's economic trajectory.