Budget 2024: Why was Railway Budget merged with the Union Budget?

The Centre in 2016 decided to merge the Railway Budget with the Union Budget, starting with the financial year 2017-18

If you recall, there was a time when a separate budget was tabled for Indian Railways. This episode of Business Standard's Budget Made Easy explains what happened to the Rail Budget and more.

Take a look:

With less than a day to go for the Interim Budget announcements on February 1 by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, most of the 1.4 billion Indian citizens will watch for what the government has in store for the railway network, which had a roller coaster year in 2023.

India launched more Vande Bharat trains and deployed faster non-airconditioned services called Amrit Bharat trains. However, key modernatisation drive of the government was also marred with scars of news of several derailments of rail carriages.

 

As India accelerates the modernisation drive while unclogging the rail network with dedicated freight corridors, it now also harbours dreams to eliminate waiting lists for trains.

With such aspirations, the interim budget's stance on railways, especially in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bid for a third term in office, will be one of the most exciting things to watch.