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Our Bureau

New Delhi , Jan. 30

THE Railways' overall earnings from transport of goods has suffered a shortfall of Rs 700 crore during the current financial year, notwithstanding a better-than-expected revenue realisation from the steel sector.

For 2003-04, the Railways had projected total freight earnings at Rs 27,815 crore, whereas it is set to end the fiscal with only Rs 27,115 crore, as per the revised estimates presented by the Railways Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, on Friday.

The steel industry was the saving grace in a year when earnings from all other sectors fell below the budgeted revenues.

The Railways earned Rs 1,385 crore from transport of pig iron and finished steel for steel plants, which was higher than the budgeted amount of Rs 1,294 crore for 2003-04. Similarly, the earnings were higher than projected in the case of iron ore for exports (Rs 792 crore as against Rs 663 crore). All other sectors recorded a shortfall in revenue realisation. These include coal (Rs 11,270 crore against the budgeted figure of Rs 11,841 crore), petroleum products (Rs 2,326 crore as against Rs 2,436 crore), cement (Rs 2,130 crore as against Rs 2,178 crore), foodgrains (Rs 3,258 crore as against Rs 3,269 crore) and fertilisers (Rs 1,344 crore as against Rs 1,387 crore).

On the passenger front too, the Railways fell short of their targeted revenues by Rs 160 crore. As against a target of Rs 13,620 crore, the Railways' passenger earnings are slated to be Rs 13,460 crore as per the revised estimates for the current financial year.

This is even as earnings from upper classes are expected to be Rs 89 crore higher than target at Rs 3,125 crore. The subsidised second-class segment has contributed only Rs 10,335 crore as against the budget estimate of Rs 10,584 crore.

While the Railways are set to end the year with a shortfall of Rs 890 crore in its gross traffic receipts (Rs 42,605 crore as against Rs 43,495 crore in the budget estimates), the organisation has managed to curtail expenditure by Rs 1,490 crore.

The Railways' total working expenditure for 2003-04 have been restrained at Rs 30,970 crore compared to the budget estimate of Rs 32,460 crore. The savings have been to the extent of almost Rs 250 crore on account of fuel, Rs 370 crore on traffic-related working expenses and Rs 175 crore on rolling stock expenses.

More Stories on : Railway Budget | Steel

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