Gross budgetary allocation for railroads to increase by 29% in budget

04 Jan 2023 CW Team

According to a report, the Center is set to enhance the gross budgetary allocation for Indian Railways by 29%, from INR 1.4 trillion to INR 1.8 trillion, to fund infrastructure expenditures. The entire capital expenditure (capex) for the railway ministry is anticipated to increase 20% to INR 3 trillion in FY24, while the expenditure for FY23 was INR 2.45 trillion. “As the national transporter approaches a crucial stage of constructing important infrastructure projects, a higher capex budget is urgently required. Last year, the Center increased its gross funding assistance for the initiatives by a record amount. We anticipate it to rise even more,” said a former rail board chairman.

The ministry has also requested that the finance ministry give long-term infrastructure projects including high-speed trains, freight corridors, and railway modernization funding priority. The Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project is also set to receive a sizeable amount of funding for FY24. The Vande Bharat Express between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri opened recently in West Bengal under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Center was investing “record amounts” in modernisation. The upgrade of all stations, electrification, and doubling of train lines are also included in the modernisation plans. The ministry's gross budgetary support first surpassed the USD 1 trillion threshold in FY22. The ministry's capital expenditure budget allocation in FY23 was the biggest ever at INR 2.45 trillion.

Infrastructure Energy

25 Jun 2026

Centre Prioritising Energy Security With Coal Gasification

Union minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said the Centre is prioritising energy security through a strategic shift to coal gasification and has announced incentives totalling Rs 460 billion (bn) to support the effort. He said more than 35 companies will start coal gasification activities in India within two months and that the government is encouraging firms that bring technology to close the domestic technology gap. The minister described the initiative as aimed at reducing import dependence and developing indigenous capacity. India has the fifth-largest coal reserve in the world, and..

BHEL and Coal India Invest Rs 250 bn in Odisha Gasification

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and Coal India (CIL) are jointly investing Rs 250 billion in a coal gasification project in Odisha, with the Prime Minister laying the foundation stone in Jharsuguda. Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy described the initiative as a transformative shift in coal utilisation that will open industrial avenues for the state. The project moves coal beyond conventional power generation to industrial feedstocks. Coal gasification will convert coal into synthesis gas, a versatile feedstock for chemicals, fertilisers and synthetic fuels, and the technology is ex..

BCCL Hands Over Dugdha Coal Washery To JSW Steel

Bharat Coking Coal has handed over the Dugdha Coal Washery to JSW Steel, marking the first coal washery asset monetisation under the Ministry of Coal's asset monetisation programme. The handover took place in the presence of senior officials from Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, JSW Steel and JSW Energy. The washery has a capacity of two million tonnes per annum (mn t per annum), and its transfer is intended to introduce private sector practices into coal beneficiation operations. The monetisation is aimed at modernising coal sector assets, improving operational efficiency and enhancing resource utilis..