Prabhu seeks White Paper on Railways before budget

Railway Minister is expected to decide his future course of action after examining the report in this regard.

New Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has sought a White Paper on finances, projects and safety and security in the ailing national transporter.

All directorates have been told about the instruction of the Railway Minister to prepare status of their ongoing projects and pending ones, reasons for delays and solutions, said a senior Railway Ministry official.

Prabhu, who is away in Australia for G-20 submit, is expected to decide his future course of action after examining the report in this regard.

Departments have also been advised to submit details of future plan for the next five years and financial implications.

The report would be presented before the Consultative Committee on Railways on December 1 and also discussed in Parliament, before presentation of Prabhu's first Rail Budget next year.

Prabhu, who is considered to be pro-reform, is likely to firm up the demand for budget allocation after discussing the issue at PMO.

Currently, as many as 676 projects were sanctioned worth Rs 1,57,883 crore. Of these only 317 projects could be completed and 359 projects remain to be completed which will now require as much as Rs 1,82,000 crore.

In the last Rail Budget, 30 priority projects (which include all types of projects) were selected according to need and availability of funds.