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New Delhi, Prime Minister <keyword id="19962578" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shri-narendra-modi" source="keywords">Shri Narendra Modi</keyword> will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation around 2,000 railway infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 41,000 crore on Monday. The event will be held at 12:30 p.m. via video conferencing. In a post on X, <keyword id="19899320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pm-modi" source="keywords">PM Modi</keyword> said, "Today is a historic day for our Railways! At 12:30 PM, 2000 railway infrastructure projects worth over Rs. 41,000 crores will be dedicated to the nation. "In order to enhance the travel experience, 553 stations will be redeveloped under the <keyword id="20270535" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amrit-bharat-station-scheme" source="keywords">Amrit Bharat Station Scheme</keyword>. The foundation stones for these stations would be laid. Overbridges and underpasses across India will also be inaugurated. "These works will further 'Ease of Living' for the people." In a major step to provide world class amenities at railway stations, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for redevelopment of 553 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. These stations, spread across 27 states and Union Territories, will be redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 19,000 crore. These stations will act as 'City Centres' integrating both sides of the city. They will have modern passenger amenities like roof plaza, beautiful landscaping, inter modal connectivity, improved modern facade, kids play area, kiosks, food courts, etc. They will be redeveloped as environment friendly and also <keyword id="20109552" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="divyang" source="keywords">Divyang</keyword> friendly. The design of these station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture. Further, the Prime Minister will inaugurate <keyword id="20727159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gomti-nagar" source="keywords">Gomti Nagar</keyword> station in Uttar Pradesh which has been redeveloped at a total cost of around Rs 385 crore. To cater to the increased future passenger footfall, this station has segregated arrival and departure facilities. It integrates both sides of the city. This centrally air-conditioned station has modern passenger amenities like Air Concourse, congestion free circulation, food courts and ample parking space in upper and lower basement. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation 1500 Road Over Bridges and Underpasses. These Road Over Bridges and Underpasses spread across 24 states and Union Territories, the total cost of these projects is around Rs 21,520 crore. These projects will reduce congestion, enhance safety and connectivity, improve capacity, and efficiency of rail travel.

PM Modi to launch 2,000 railway infra projects worth over ₹41,000 cr

<keyword id="20018917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Capital-expenditure" source="keywords">Capital expenditure</keyword> on the <keyword id="19914937" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Railways" source="keywords">Railways</keyword> has increased by 77 per cent over the past five years with significant investments in the construction of <keyword id="22505706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-lines" source="keywords">new lines</keyword>, <keyword id="20375816" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gauge-conversion" source="keywords">gauge conversion</keyword> and doubling, the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Economic-Survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 said on Monday. According to the survey tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>, in the financial year 2019-2020, the capital expenditure was 1.48 lakh crore which was increased to ₹2.62 lakh crore in 2023-24. "<keyword id="19909154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Railways" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Railways" meta.hostid="346" meta.entityid="Indian Railways">Indian Railways</keyword>, with over 68,584 route km (as of March 31, 2024) and 12.54 lakh employees (as of April 1, 2024), is the fourth largest network in the world under single management," the survey said. Highlighting the initiatives taken by the Railway Ministry for the enhancement of operations and services, the survey mentioned Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project and Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) with the progress made in these respective <keyword id="19900581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="projects" source="keywords">projects</keyword>. According to the survey, Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, launched in August 2023 for development of stations on a continuous basis, involves preparation of master plans and its phased implementation to improve amenities, building improvements, multimodal integration, and sustainability. It said that 1,324 stations have been identified for upgradation so far. Talking about another initiative, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, the survey said that under this 508-km project, executed with cooperation from the government of Japan, land acquisition and civil conduct award have been completed. "Overall physical progress of 41.7 per cent has been achieved and financial expenditure of ₹59,291 crore was incurred until 31st March, 2024," the survey said. "Two DFCs are under implementation namely the eastern DFC with route length of 1,337 kilometre and the western DFC with route length of 1,506 kilometre," it added. It further stated that by the end of FY24, 96.1 per cent of the total DFC route length has been completed. Highlighting other major achievements, the survey said that the Railways achieved its highest-ever production for both locomotives and wagons in FY24. "Fifty one pairs of <keyword id="19922877" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vande-bharat" source="keywords">Vande Bharat</keyword> have been introduced until March 2024. The fast pace of infrastructure augmentation has been the result of a substantial increase in financial allocation along with close project monitoring and regular follow-up with stakeholders for expeditious land acquisition and clearances," the survey said. It added, "High-speed, long-distance Vande sleeper trainset coaches having features like quick acceleration, diffused lighting, automatic doors and global positioning system-based passenger information system are under development." According to the survey, the Railways is also planning to introduce Vande metro trainset coaches with features such as sealed wider gangways, centrally controlled automatic sliding doors, CCTVs for safety and surveillance, route map indicator, passenger information and infotainment system, fire detection system and aerosol-based fire suppression system. "The first lot is expected to be turned out in FY25," it said. "Railways has taken several initiatives for providing a clean environment in and around railway stations and trains, such as replacement of conventional toilets with bio-toilets on coaches leading to clean tracks, segregation of bio-degradable/non bio-degradable waste, solid waste management and discouraging use of single use plastic," the survey added.

Capital expenditure on Railways increased by 77% over 5 years: Economic Survey

NEW DELHI: Some of the essential services related to banking, transportation, railways and electricity are likely to be impacted during a two-day nationwide strike called by a joint forum of central trade unions beginning Monday. Talking to PTI, All Indian Trade Union Congress General Secretary <keyword id="366518" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amarjeet-kaur" source="Orion">Amarjeet Kaur</keyword> said, "We are expecting participation of over 20 crore formal and informal workers with mass mobilisation of workers across the country during the strike on March 28 and 29 to protest against government policies." She said that the strike is expected to hit the rural parts also, where informal workers of farming and other sectors will join the protest. The strike notices were given by workers' unions of various sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks and insurance. Unions in railways and defence sector will carry out mass mobilization in support of the strike at several places, the joint forum said. The unions' demands include scrapping of the proposed changes in labour laws, privatisation of any form and the national monetisation pipeline. Increased allocation of wages under MNREGA (<keyword id="1194612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mahatma-gandhi-rural-employment-guarantee-act" source="Orion">Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act</keyword>) and regularisation of contract workers are also part of their demands. Workers of roadways, transport and electricity departments have also decided to join the strike in spite of the impending threat of ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) which is likely to be imposed in Haryana and Chandigarh, the joint forum said in a statement. Trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC are part of the joint forum. Meanwhile, the <keyword id="6375040" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="power-ministry" source="Orion">power ministry</keyword> on Sunday advised all the state-run utilities and other agencies to be on high alert and ensure round-the-clock electricity supply and stability of the national grid. "The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) have called for a nationwide strike with effect from 06:00 hrs of March 28 to 06:00 hrs of March 30, 2022," an advisory issued by the power ministry said. The advisory has been issued to all states, central public sector undertakings, central electricity authority, national load dispatch centre and regional load dispatch centres. In the interest of the consumers of electricity, it is advised that all the power utilities shall take necessary measures to ensure round-the-clock functioning of the electricity grid and availability of all plants, transmission lines and substations, the ministry said, adding that all regional/state control room executives should be vigilant and on high alert. The ministry also suggested measures to be taken to ensure secure and reliable grid operations. Shutdown activities planned during March 28-29 may be rescheduled to suitable future dates to the extent possible, it said and asked all concerned officials to ensure close supervision of their regional network/control area. Also, manpower may be deployed at all critical sub-stations/power station 24X7 to handle any emergency situation, it said. Power supply to those engaged in essential services such as hospitals, defence, and railways must be ensured, it added and suggested setting up of a 24x7 control room for information dissemination and handling any kind of contingency. Bank employees' unions said they will support the strike. All <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="Orion">India</keyword> Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said the union demands the government to stop privatisation of public sector banks and strengthen them. Bank employees also demand speedy recovey of bad loans, higher deposit rates by banks, lower service charges on customers as well as restoration of old pension scheme for staff. A number of public sector banks, including country's largest lender SBI, have said that their services may get impacted to a limited extent due to the strike. SBI said it has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices during the strike. "It is likely that work at our bank may be impacted, to a limited extent, by the strike," SBI said. New Delhi-headquartered Punjab National Bank (<keyword id="13478968" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="pnb" source="Orion" meta.marketcap="38923.93999753" meta.tagname="Punjab National Bank" meta.tagpopularcount="0" meta.sectorid="15" meta.entitytype="company" meta.matchtype="exact" meta.aum="0" meta.entityid="11585" meta.tagseoname="punjab-national-bank" meta.sector="Banks" meta.tagnameorg="Punjab National Bank">PNB</keyword>) said, AIBEA, Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) and All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) have served notices to go on strike on March 28-29. "While bank has made all arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices, it is likely that work in our bank may be impacted to a limited extent by the strike," PNB said. Bengaluru-based <keyword id="13478969" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="canara-bank" source="Orion" meta.marketcap="40836.07197252" meta.tagname="Canara Bank" meta.tagpopularcount="0" meta.sectorid="15" meta.entitytype="company" meta.matchtype="exact" meta.aum="0" meta.entityid="9218" meta.tagseoname="canara-bank" meta.sector="Banks" meta.tagnameorg="Canara Bank">Canara Bank</keyword> said it is taking all necessary steps to ensure smooth functioning of bank branches and offices. However, the functioning of the bank may be impacted, Canara Bank added. Private lender <keyword id="2179992" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rbl-bank" source="Orion">RBL Bank</keyword> said its bank unions are affiliated to AIBOA and AIBEA, and the employees associated with these unions may participate in the strike. "The bank will take all necessary steps for smooth functioning of the bank's branches/offices on the days of strike. However, it is likely that some of our branches would also be impacted by the strike," <keyword id="13478967" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbl" source="Orion" meta.marketcap="491.27195140500004" meta.tagname="Rane Brake Lining Ltd" meta.tagpopularcount="0" meta.sectorid="506" meta.entitytype="company" meta.matchtype="exact" meta.aum="0" meta.entityid="21601" meta.tagseoname="rane-brake-lining-ltd" meta.sector="Auto Ancillaries" meta.tagnameorg="Rane Brake Lining Ltd.">RBL</keyword> said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/pvr-and-inox-leisure-announce-merger/articleshow/90476756.cms">PVR and INOX Leisure announce merger</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/how-this-former-vedantu-cofounder-is-taking-on-instagram-and-snapchat-to-build-social-media-for-teens/articleshow/90443442.cms">How this former Vedantu cofounder is taking on Instagram and Snapchat to build social media for teens</a>

Two-day Bharat Bandh: Essential services likely to be affected

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s <keyword id="6361202" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swachh-Bharat">Swachh Bharat</keyword> Abhiyaan, this year’s Rail Budget will focus on cleanliness and financial viability of Indian <keyword id="6360676" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Railways">Railways</keyword>, as per a report by The Economic Times (ET). In his maiden Budget, Railway Minister <keyword id="6356597" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suresh-Prabhu">Suresh Prabhu</keyword> is expected to take measures to improve the financial health of Indian Railways. 
 
According to the ET report, Prabhu is likely to announce a number of measures to promote cleanliness, which may include coverage of more trains under on-board housekeeping services (OBHS), building bio-toilets and providing dustbins in all coaches. Moreover, he may also introduce some measures to improve facilities at stations. 
 
The budget this year will also consider problems faced by visually challenged passengers as the railway minister is expected to come up with a proposal to provide Braille signs at stations. 
 
However, due to the poor financial health of the railways, there is less probability of any big announcement this year. Currently, Indian Railways faces the challenge to generate funds worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore to finance about 300 projects. 
 
In addition to this, the ministry also plans to raise funds from Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme, state governments and the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme.

Rail Budget 2015 to run on Swachh Bharat track

New Delhi: In the world's largest democracy, every five years, a spectacular theatrical performance unfolds, captivating crores of people with its vibrancy, diversity, and sheer scale. Yes, we're talking about the <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha Elections</keyword> in India. And we have the dates now for the grand finale: June 4! The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced the dates for the general elections to be held from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases. Chief Election Commissioner <keyword id="20110344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajiv-kumar" source="keywords">Rajiv Kumar</keyword> announced today that the results will be announced on June 4. Phase 1 voting will be held on April 19, Phase 2 on April 26, Phase 3 on May 7, Phase 4 on May 13, Phase 5 on May 20, Phase 6 on May 25, and Phase 7 on June 1. “We will take democracy to every corner of the country. It is our promise to deliver a national election in a manner that we... remain a beacon for democracy around the world,” said the Chief Election Commissioner. <div type="image" title="Polling schedule" agency="ANI" msid="108550459" hostid="261" sizebytes="17144" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Polling schedule (ANI)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The tenure of the present <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> ends on June 16 and a new House will have to be constituted before that. As the tenure of Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Odisha assemblies will also end in June, these states will get an early taste of the ‘one nation, one election’ process, wherein voters will be casting votes for both Lok Sabha and assembly elections. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="subhead" text="Model code of conduct kicks in">Model code of conduct kicks in</cmsannotation> With the announcement of election dates, the model code of conduct comes into immediate effect. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar asked all political parties and their leaders to strictly adhere to the poll code. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) mandates that no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences, create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic, according to the set of guidelines issued by the EC. It lists out the dos and don'ts regarding general conduct, meetings, processions, conduct of parties and their candidates on polling day, polling booth, observers, party in power and guidelines on election manifestos. According to the guidelines, all parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are "corrupt practices" and offences under the election law, such as bribing of voters, intimidation of voters, impersonation of voters, canvassing within 100 meters of polling stations, holding public meetings during the period of 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the close of the poll, and the transport and conveyance of voters to and from the polling station. Political parties and candidates shall ensure that their supporters do not create obstructions in or break up meetings and processions organized by other parties. As soon as the poll code comes into effect, the party in power be it at the Centre or in the State or states concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint that it has used its official position for the purposes of its election campaign. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="subhead" text="Major players and issues">Major players and issues</cmsannotation> Undoubtedly, the scale and magnitude of a nationwide election in a country like India involve numerous complex considerations. However, the major political parties are hoping to narrow down the voter’s priorities to a few major foundational aspirations on which powerful campaigns can be built. Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>, and his party <keyword id="19931558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharatiya-janata-party" source="keywords">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP), are confident of reelection for a third consecutive term. They have pitched 'Modi Ki Guarantee' as the main theme of his campaign. PM's website describes it as a guarantee for the development of youth, empowerment of women, welfare of farmers, and all those marginalised and vulnerable who have been ignored for decades. In a letter to the citizens of India on March 15, the Prime Minister noted, “The trust and support of 140 crore Indians inspires and motivates me. The transformation that has taken place in the lives of the people is the biggest achievement of our government over the last 10 years. These transformative outcomes are the result of the sincere efforts made by a determined government to improve the quality of life for the poor, farmers, youth and women.” BJP is building its campaign by highlighting the welfare schemes of the government, infrastructural development across the country, and the rejuvenation of the country’s cultural heritage. The major opposition party <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="congress" source="keywords">Congress</keyword>, on the other hand, is banking on its <keyword id="20366194" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nyay" source="keywords">Nyay</keyword> guarantees to woo voters. The grand old party saw some success in the state elections of Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana when it pitched such 'Nyay' guarantees to the people. For the Lok Sabha polls, the party has put forward its 5 guarantees aimed at ensuring justice for youth, farmers, women, labourers, and participatory justice. The INDIA bloc, including the Congress, has been raising the issue of unemployment and rising prices of essential commodities. They have stated repeatedly that the lack of jobs is the single biggest issue and sought to corner the government over the issue. The BJP has hit back citing job growth and a fast-growing economy. Other major poll issues include electoral bonds, abrogation of Article 370, <keyword id="19963301" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="caa" source="keywords">CAA</keyword>, Uniform Civil Code, Ayodhya Ram Mandir, farmer protests for legal guarantee of MSP, and the Viksit Bharat vision of the government. Overall, India is poised to see an enthralling clash of ideologies, ideas, and personalities throughout the election season as the EC has opened the race for ruling the most populous country on Earth. (With inputs from ANI and PTI)

Elections 2024: Lok Sabha general elections in 7 phases from April 19, results on June 4; Here’s all you need to know

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced the <keyword id="12280048" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pm-gati-shakti" source="Orion">PM Gati Shakti</keyword> National Master Plan aimed at making logistics connectivity seamless across the length and breadth of the country. Sitharaman described the <keyword id="11977289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gati-shakti" source="Orion">Gati Shakti</keyword> plan – a massive infrastructure development undertaking – to encompass the ‘engines’ of growth, namely roads, railways, mass transport, seamless multi-modal connectivity. In deference to the request from many states, the outlay of the Scheme for Financial Assistance to states has been increased from ₹10,000 crore to ₹15,000 crore. The allocation for FY23 is ₹1 lakh crore to catalyse overall investments in the economy. The 50-year interest free bonds are over and above the normal borrowings by the states. This will be used for Gati Shakti, rural road projects, town planning schemes etc. The Gati Shakti project aims to create a synergy between infrastructure and logistics, both of people and goods, and location of projects. Here are the key takeaways of the announcements under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan: <ul><li>A scheme for expressways will be formulated in 2022-23 to facilitate faster movement of people and goods.</li><li>The national highways network will be expanded by 25,000 kilometres in 2022-23, with an outlay of INR 20,000 crores via financing.</li><li>A new Unified Logistics Interface Platform will be brought in to facilitate data exchange between operators across different modes of transport, aimed at implementing a just-in-time approach for logistics management and giving access to real-time information to operators.</li><li>A new open-source mobility stack for organising seamless travel of passengers will be facilitated.</li><li>Contracts for implementation of multi-modal logistics parks at four locations will be awarded on a public-private-partnership (PPP) mode in 2022-23.</li><li>Railways will develop new products and logistics services for small farmers, and small and medium enterprises.</li><li>Railways will integrate railways and postal networks for seamless movement of parcels.</li><li>A 2,000-kilometre railway network will be brought under ‘Kavach’ for safety and capacity augmentation.</li><li>400 new-generation Vande Bharat trains with better energy efficiency and passenger riding experience will be developed and manufactured over the next three years.</li><li>100 PM Gati Shakti cargo terminals for multi-modal logistics facilities will be developed in the next three years.</li><li>‘Innovative’ financing options will be encouraged for building metro systems of appropriate type and scale.</li><li>Facilitation of multi-model connectivity options between mass urban transport and railway stations.</li><li>Standardisation of metro systems and civil structures based on Indian needs.</li><li>Parvatmala, a preferred ecologically sustainable alternative to conventional road systems in hilly areas – also known as National Ropeways Development Programme, will be undertaken in PPP mode.</li></ul>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2022-speech-highlights-and-updates-from-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman/articleshow/89264352.cms">Budget 2022: Watch out for the highlights from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/minda-industries-sona-comstar-greaves-cotton-amongst-biggest-gainers-as-investors-bet-on-budget-2022-being-ev-friendly/articleshow/89264077.cms">Minda Industries, Sona Comstar, Greaves Cotton amongst biggest gainers as investors bet on Budget 2022 being EV-friendly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/shares-of-fmcg-companies-rise-on-hopes-of-consumption-boost-for-the-sector/articleshow/89263952.cms">Britannia, Dabur, Marico surge on hopes that budget will leave people with more money to buy stuff</a>

PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan aims to bring synergy between infrastructure and logistics across the length and breadth of India

New Delhi, Jan 31 () Stating that steps are being taken on a regular basis to prevent rail accidents, the Economic Survey on Friday said consequential train accidents registered a decline in 2018-19.
 It said number of consequential train accidents decreased to 59 in 2018-19, compared with 73 in the previous year. In 2019-20 (April-October 2019), 41 consequential train accidents took place.
 "Safety is accorded the highest priority by Indian Railways and steps are being undertaken on a continuous basis to prevent accidents and to enhance safety of the passengers," according to the Economic Survey 2019-20 tabled in Parliament.
 The Indian Railways with over 68,000 route-kilometres is the third-largest network in the world under single management.
 During 2018-19, the Indian Railways carried 120 crore tonnes of freight and 840 crore passengers, making it the world's largest passenger carrier and fourth-largest freight carrier.
 Revenue earning freight loading by Indian Railways in 2018-19 was 12,215 lakh tonnes as against 11,596 lakh tonnes during 2017-18, registering a rise of 5.34 per cent.
 Passengers originating stood at 84,390 lakh in 2018-19 as compared to 82,858 lakh in 2017-18, registering an increase of 1.85 per cent in 2018-19 over the previous year.
 Indian Railways cover over 8,700 stations and carry around 230 lakh passengers daily with clientele of varied socio-economic backgrounds.
 Cleanliness is a continuous process and every endeavour is made to keep the stations and coaches in properly maintained and clean condition, the survey said.
 Special cleanliness campaigns under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan were launched by the Indian Railways on October 2, 2014.
 "Regular intensive campaigns/drives have been organised since then by the Indian Railways with the sole objective to achieve significant and sustainable improvements in cleanliness standards," it said.
 Modernisation or upgradation of railway stations in Indian Railways is a continuous process, the Survey said adding that 1,253 stations have been identified for development under Adarsh Station Scheme and are planned to be developed by 2019-20.
 A dedicated special purpose vehicle, Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) Ltd, has been set up to carry out modernisation of railway stations.
 IRSDC is working on modernisation of many stations on the public-private partnership mode. SID HRS

Consequential train accidents decreased in 2018-19: Survey

<ul><li>Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2022-23 in Parliament on Tuesday.</li><li>This year's budget is indexed towards startups, MSMEs, infrastructure projects, rural revival, digital payment apps, telecom growth and affordable housing.</li><li>We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability, blockchain and push to MSME can impact the ad and marketing industry.</li></ul>Be it the introduction of a Digital University to make education accessible across the country or the proposed launch of a Digital currency by the Reserve Bank of India to the government’s focus on promoting digital payments and fintech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made it is clear that digital is the way forward. The Union Budget 2022-23 aims to boost the country's digital infrastructure and enable a cashless economy. The government also announced that it will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force to give a push to the animation and gaming industry. To facilitate the roll-out of 5G mobile services in India, FM Sitharaman said that Spectrum auctions will be conducted in 2022. This, in turn, will give impetus to Voice, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality and pave the way for the Metaverse. The Digital Rupee using blockchain will help Indians accept virtual currency and accelerate cryptocurrency exchange in India. Overall, the budget also shows a promise for Electric Vehicle brands, digital payment apps, MSMEs, gaming industry and start-ups. We reached out to digital, media and creative agencies to understand how the increased focus on digitalisation, sustainability and blockchain can impact the advertising and marketing industry. Here’s what they said: Anupriya Acharya, South Asia CEO, Publicis Groupe: The Budget is positive, growth-oriented and with reforms in the right direction. The advent of 5G is sure to transform communications – for our industry it will help creation of better AV, voice and AR/VR experiences. It will also fuel digital payments, streaming entertainment, gaming, e-commerce, tele-medicine etc which in turn will aid more Unicorns! It is also heartening to note that a special Task Force is being set up for AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic) as this will help us build the much needed capacity both for domestic as well as global markets. And then there have been no changes in income-tax slabs for people, which many consumer segments were worried about. This in turn boosts consumer sentiment. From e-passports, to battery swapping for electric vehicles, setting up of optic fiber in the remotest of villages, setting up of a digital university and skilling through an e-portal, the big push is for technology, digital infrastructure and empowerment. Narayan Devanathan, Chief Client Officer, dentsu India: Having gone through the 38-page document of the Finance Minister’s budget speech, I decided to do a search for a couple of words that I thought kept repeating throughout her speech. The words “will be” occurred 110 times in the entire speech. When I narrowed my search to the single word “will,” the number rose to 362. To me, those two words sum up the essence of what this year’s budget is and is not. What it is, is a future-focused budget, aiming at the distant vision of India@100, with a 25-year Amrit Kaal lead-up. What it is not, and what I felt was sorely needed this year of all years, is a present-focused budget. A punishing 2021 for the aam aadmi with more-than-usual expenditure on health and sustenance meant the general populace was looking for immediate relief that would place more cash in their household budgets. That did not happen. Nor was there any extraordinary investment in relieving the healthcare expenditure burden. For all the importance of farmers in upcoming poll-bound states, there was neither major sop nor stimulus given to back the importance of agriculture as a spine if not engine of the economy. Even the MSME sectors were only handed a slightly longer lease of life with the extension of the ECLGS, but there was no real move to stimulate consumption by placing more cash at consumers’ disposal, for example, extending LTA claims to restaurants (and not just accommodation). There is perhaps plenty for the industry to cheer about since it can afford to think about the future and a slightly longer term than just the here and now of survival. The stock market did cheer up even before the FM’s speech, but that only served to underscore the dichotomy between the real health of the population and the Minority of Haves. When the general population probably can’t afford to wait for the benefits of trickle-down economics to reach them in yet another trying year, the dreams and wheels of a consumer-driven economy might move slower than the industry might like, despite the many future-facing and progressive policies announced. Virat Tandon, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas Group: The union budget can be termed as consistent with the government's vision to reach the 5 trillion GDP mark by 2025-26. Hence, the strong focus on capex to boost infrastructure that connects and streamlines middle India and provides the engines of entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country. It also shows India's commitment to bring a digital first economy with the 5G rollout planned for next financial year, clarity on India's policy for cryptocurrency, data centres, EVs and our very own digital Rupee. Start-up culture will continue to flourish with the right policy framework. These investments and policies will generate jobs and go a long way in inclusive and sustainable growth for Bharat. Anurag Bansal, COO &amp; CFO, DDB Mudra Group: This Union Budget looks neutral, with no major changes in taxation. The launch of digital Rupee based on blockchain technology is a big move to bring in official cryptocurrency in India. New e-passports with embedded chips would definitely ease overseas travel. Managing the Fiscal deficit while pushing for growth and investments is a great balancing act taken on by the government. It will give a boost to capital investments and infrastructure development. Kartik Sharma - Group Chief Executive Officer – India, Omnicom Media Group: With an impetus on holistic growth, developing infrastructure and job creation across sectors, the 2022 union budget shows promise with a focus on the big picture. Reviving economic growth in the post-pandemic environment has been a focus for this government and this progressive, digital-first, and development-oriented budget reflects that. Not only does it provide a boost to the MSME, agriculture and healthcare verticals, but also signals that investing in infrastructure today will connect India better tomorrow. With an increased focus on digitization, some of the standouts for me were that the budget recognized the current gaps and opportunities within the education sector, and is advancing towards uplifting India with the creation of a digital ecosystem - one that is focused on upskilling and creating more employment; aligned with the dynamic needs of today. It also aims to further strengthen communications in the rural sector and build upon the overall financialization of India. Furthermore, while the rollout of a 5G ecosystem will improve the quality of services, the launch of digital money, supported by blockchain, signals an increasing focus on transparency. With consistency in strategic direction and focus on propelling the MSME and start-up ecosystem, this is a welcoming budget for new-age businesses and a hopeful one that will ultimately lead to a boost in the A&amp;M industry as well. We're at the cusp of the next stage of India's digital revolution and although certain factors like data privacy still remain an area to be delved deeper into, as infrastructure and banking penetrate further into rural India, we’re looking hopeful and strong to transform into a forward-leaning digital economy of tomorrow.” Deepak Mittal, CEO and Co-Founder, TO THE NEW: The government's unprecedented commitment to technology innovation and adoption in this union budget is highly encouraging. Breakthrough developments and futuristic technology such as the introduction of digital currency, the rollout of 5G within FY22-23, and e-passports using embedded chips are exciting for the country's future. Among the measures announced, the budget highlights special incentives to startups and the launch of a progressive, new portal encouraging a digital ecosystem for skilling and upskilling. These initiatives will serve as a successful catalyst for the country's economic growth. Atul Shrivastava, Group CEO &amp; Executive Director at Laqshya Media Group: The union Budget underlined the government’s focus on long-term growth. As India’s economic growth is estimated to be 9.2% in the upcoming financial year so it would be good for all the industry and with overall growth, we are sure advertising &amp; media will also show remarkable growth which was low due to the pandemic in the last couple of years. As announced the National Highways to be expanded by 25,000 km under PM Gati Shakti mission. Highways are adding a new dimension to the growth of the OOH Industry as advertising on the Highways is emerging as very strong choice for brand building for many categories. Prasad Shejale, Founder and CEO, Logicserve Digital: The FM has announced a very progressive budget with an intention to widen India's horizons and outlook in the next five years, leveraging emerging technologies. The Government has addressed some urgent priorities underpinning the digital sector, including the launch of digital currency, API-based skill credentials, digital learning channels, digitization of manual processes, etc. On the digital connectivity front, the 5G spectrum auctions will finally make the dream of a tech-savvy India a reality, further boosting the country's digital infrastructure. Additionally, the launch of a design-led manufacturing scheme for the 5G ecosystem as part of the PLI scheme will ensure affordable broadband and mobile communication even in far-flung areas. The availability of high-speed internet connectivity in urban as well as rural areas will encourage marketers to experiment with blockchain, AR, VR. On the skilling front, initiatives like establishing a digital university will provide an opportunity for youth to learn new skills from the comfort of their homes. The creation of a new task force to build domestic capacity in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comic (AVGC) sector is commendable. The overall budget is future tech-enabled and balanced. Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO &amp; Co-founder, GOZOOP Group: While there will always be hope for more and better, the continued push towards digital, fintech and the boost for start-up ecosystem with the extension of tax benefits till March 2023 along with capping the surcharge at 15% irrespective of the amount of long term capital gains, will fuel the fire of entrepreneurship in our nation. Varun Duggirala, Entrepreneur, Co-founder of The Glitch, Author, Content Creator and a Podcaster: The twin announcements of the digital rupee and the taxation on ‘virtual digital assets’ is clearly a focused drive from the government to regulate the crypto space. What needs to be seen is how this plays out because regulating a decentralized space is a paradox in itself. Another point that stood out for me was the national mental health program. More than anything else it signifies the normalizing of mental health as a legitimate area of focus for us as a nation. Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-founder, White Rivers Media: In my opinion, it is a fairly balanced budget. There is sufficient emphasis being laid on up-skilling, and making right investments in tech which is the need of the hour. The previous budget was more inclined towards setting up a strong foundation in the digital space, and this one is essentially focused on making further advancements. Besides, Digital Rupee being introduced is indeed, a great news across sectors and it will be exciting to finally watch it become a reality. It can prove to be a game-changer in India's future as transactions will become even more instantaneous. Speaking of the expected benefits, let’s not forget that this is India’s #Budget and not a Big Bazaar scheme announcement. So, the immediate benefit may not be seen right now but considering the long-term narrative, it is a fairly established budget. Sahil Chopra, Founder &amp; CEO- iCubesWire: While the general trend of the <keyword id="12134566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2022" source="Orion">union budget 2022</keyword> has its emphasis on ease of doing business, I strongly believe, data and digital occupied the centerpiece of the budget. The plans to focus and promote the fintech and digital economy are a very strong positive move. New age technologies, keeping data and digital at heart of it will allow the tech enablers to transform multiple industries. For MSMEs, the government has plans to outlay Rs 2 trillion which is again a welcoming move that will help in enhancing startups as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for all. Besides, extension on tax exemption to startups and promotion of startups to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ through varied applications and drones as a service is also encouraging. The ambitious optical fibre to the villages under PPP in 2022-23 shall get the next 100M in the Digital Universe soon. To sum up, it’s a positive budget for the digital sector which has always vouched for a strong digital infrastructure in the country." Chetan Asher, Founder and CEO, Tonic Worldwide: The budget clearly will help the country march towards digital adoption and transformation in many sectors. With 5G rollout on the cards we will see an acceleration across the board. The digital rupee will put India right up on the map of advanced digital economies. Clarity on Digital assets and crypto will give it new impetus. All of these initiatives will help us emerge as leaders in adoption and growth of blockchain technology Ambika Sharma, Founder &amp; MD, Pulp Strategy: The Budget is interesting as the Government has focused on all sectors. The financial support for the digital payments ecosystem is a welcome move and further reaffirms the Government of India's digital banking push. This push on digitization will make way for more inclusion in the ecosystem. The focus on 'Ease of doing business is a great step, as it will further promote entrepreneurship in the economy” . The 2022-23 budget finely balanced fiscal retreat with supporting economic recovery. The budget focused on a familiar strategy of driving capital expenditure to drive growth, to crowd in private investment through higher public spending. Although markets could be disappointed with a higher fiscal deficit of 6.4% of GDP for FY23 than expected, it is perhaps prudent to not undertake aggressive fiscal consolidation at this nascent stage of recovery. While elevated market borrowings are likely to pressurize bond yields, the inclusion of green bonds in the borrowing plan is an interesting innovation. In terms of specific policy announcements, the move towards self-reliance through protection for domestic manufacturers (change in custom and import duties) aligns with the long-term goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government has extended the startup tax holiday and concessional tax for manufacturing startups by a year. While that was on the cards, it doesn’t address the core need of startups to be given a longer tax holiday of 5 years as required. One of the most encouraging aspects of the budget has been the announcement to set up an AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics) promotion task force to plan and build domestic capacity for serving domestic as well as global markets. Loss from the transfer of virtual digital assets cannot be set off against any other income. The creation of a unified logistics platform and the developments of 100 new cargo terminals in the next three years are significant steps in improving the supply chain ecosystem in the country. Infrastructure status given to Data Centers will provide a huge boost to the fast-evolving digital environment of the country. The fiscal outcome is broadly in line with our expectations with the government having continued its focus on infrastructure and rural demand. Himanshu Arya, Founder and CEO, Grapes: The Union Budget for the financial year 2022-23 has set the stage with an invigorated focus on ramping up the process of the digital revolution. The government’s focus on the digital ecosystem is a progressive move to render an inclusive landscape for job openings and entrepreneurial opportunities. The extension of tax incentives for startups for one more year will give a slight relief to the industry. I hope that the cash flow improves in the market. The Union Budget has various encouraging initiatives and is directed towards a more viable and flexible business ecosystem that completely aligns with the ideologies of Make in India. Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder &amp; Director, SoCheers: Digital and digitization stood out as a strong overall trend in the Union Budget 2022. The budget put a great focus on long-term growth and given how intricately ‘digital’ was integrated into several measures, it can be seen as an integral part of that growth. Implementation of the Central Bank digital currency will definitively aid the growth of digital economy and finance in the country, opening doors for digital acceleration across sectors. The announcement about the new digital university and the renewed focus on digital learning, further presents an opportunity, especially to the fast-evolving Educational Technology sector. However, a definite plan on how this will pan out for all corners of India remains to be seen. Moreover, digital will also be leveraged in the set-up and operation of tele-mental health centres, providing the necessary focus and access to mental health services to the Indian masses. This comes as one of the most welcome move as it’ll contribute infinitely to the nation’s long-term growth.

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