HIGHLIGHTS OF RAILWAY BUDGET, 1997-98

                                 Part - I

-    Development of Rail network  in backward areas.  

-    New line from Udhampur to Baramulla and Kumarghat-Agartala,
     Lumding-Silchar, Harmuti-Itanagar and Bridge at Bogibeel on      
     Brahmaputra.

-    Rs.400 cr. for new lines as against Rs.220 cr. in the current year.

-    More than Rs.300 cr. for rail infrastructure development in North-East.

-    More than Rs.100 cr. for expansion of railway system in Jammu and
     Kashmir.

-    More than Rs.4100 cr. for Rolling Stock in current year as against
     Rs.2900 cr. during 1995-96.

-    26,000 Wagons, 2,000 passenger coaches and more than 300 locos to be
     procured in 1997-98.

-    Rs.3500 cr. increase in working expenses on account of Fifth Pay
     Commission.  Large number of demands for expansion and development
     of rail network.  But for this additional burden, pace of development of
     rail infrastructure could have been increased.

-    Budgetary support of Rs.1831 cr. from General Revenues.  

-    Rail network spans 62,000 Route Kilometres and 1,07,000 Track
     Kilometres.

-    10% of the track requires renewal.

-    Replacement of 20,000 Wagons,  2,000 Coaches,  in the current year.

-    24,554 unmanned level crossings.

Traffic Performance in 1996-97

-    Originating loading of 390 MT during 1995-96.  Target of 410 MT of
     freight loading during 1996-97.

-    Increase of  53.76  millions of originating passengers over the previous
     year.     

Financial Performance 1996-97

-    'Excess' of Rs.1916 cr. likely to go upto Rs.2241 cr. during 1996-97.

-    Annual Plan raised to Rs.8300 cr. from Rs.8130 cr. on getting additional
     budgetary support of Rs.170 cr. from General Exchequer.

-    Investment of Rs.530 cr. expected under BOLT/OYW schemes.

-    IRFC already raised Rs.1500 cr. - likely to exceed target of Rs.1850 cr. 

Traffic Prospects 1997-98

-    Target of freight loading fixed at 430 MT.

-    Passenger traffic estimated to go up by 3% over 1996-97.

Passenger Amenities

-    Computerised reservation provided at 271 locations upto 1995-96, likely
     to be made available at more than 300 locations by March, 1997.

-    The facility is available at Srinagar, Port Blair, Panaji, Shillong,
     Agartala, Imphal and Gangtok etc. which are not connected by rail. It  is
     being made operational at Aizawl, Itanagar and Kohima.

-    To provide universal facility of  return and onward reservation, software
     is already operational at New Delhi and Secunderabad PRS. It is to be
     extended to Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai.

-    Satellite based telephone service on many long distance trains.

-    This facility already introduced on Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express
     train.  To be provided on all Rajdhani Express trains during next year.

-    Monitoring cells set up at Zonal Headquarters and Ministry's level to
     ensure passenger amenities, cleanliness and punctuality.

-    AC 2-tier accommodation provided on 15 pairs of Mail/Express trains
     in current year.

-    AC 3-tier coaches operating on all Rajdhani Express trains and 51 pairs
     of other Mail/Express trains.

-    Unreserved  Second Class coaches attached to many trains during the
     current year.

Public Grievances

-    Railways run 7,500 passenger trains and provide services to 11 million
     passengers every day.  Some complaints are natural.  Public Grievance
     cells are functioning at Ministry's level and Zonal Headquarters level to
     look into complaints.

Catering Services

-    Qualified and trained Degree/Diploma holders have been recruited to
     improve catering services on Railways.

-    Pantry Car Services introduced on the following trains :-  

     2309/2310 New Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express.
     8001/8002 Howrah-Mumbai Mail
     2633/2634 Hazrat Nizamuddin-Chennai Rajdhani Express
     9767/9768 Jaipur-Chennai Express
     8561/8562 Kazipet-Vishakhapatnam-Kazipet Link Express
     9769/9770 Jaipur-Patna-Jaipur Express

Annual Plan 1997-98

-    Annual Plan fixed at Rs.8300 cr. i.e. at the level of 1996-97.  

-    Budgetary support Rs.1831 cr., higher by Rs.400 cr. than the budgetary
     support of current year.

-    Internal resource of Rs.3419 cr.  Amount of Rs.3050 cr. to be raised
     through IRFC and private investment under BOLT/OYW schemes.

New Lines

-    Construction of  Beas-Goindwal, Chitauni-Bagha rail link and Karanjali-
     Nischantapur new lines completed in the current year.

-    Several new lines included in the Budget, 1996-97.  Necessary approvals
     obtained for taking up the work of new lines from Harmuti-Itanagar,
     Hassan-Bangalore via Shravanbelagola, Khagaria to Kusheshwardham,
     Hubli-Akola and Lohardanga to Tori.

-    Necessary approval being obtained for Karur-Salem new line.

-    Construction of bridge at Bogibeel near Dibrugarh and a bridge at Patna
     included in the Budget.  Actual work will start after land is acquired.


-    Construction of a new railway line between Diphu-Karong as first phase
     of BG line to Imphal included in the Budget.

-    Updating the survey for Bhairabi to Sairang.  This will help in taking up
     a new line Sairang/Aizawl to link the capital of Mizoram.

-    Works of Dausa-Gangapur City and Ahmednagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath
     to be started in 1997-98.

-    Construction of following new lines to be taken up :-

     Lalitpur-Satna via Khajuraho, Rewa to Singrauli, Baramati to Lonand,
     Kopargaon to Shirdi, Taran Taran to Goindwal, Chandigarh to Ludhiana,
     Muzaffarpur to Sitamari, Ara to Sasaram, Giridih to Kodarma as the first
     phase of Giridih-Barkakhana-Ranchi line, Munirabad to Mehboobnagar,
     Bangalore to Satyamangalam, Dharmavaram to Penukonda via    
Puttaparthi and Angamali to Sabarimala.

-    Based on updated survey report, proposal for Bishrampur to Ambikapur
     new line will be sent to Planning Commission for consideration. 
     Necessary clearance being obtained for new line Talcher-Sukhinda Road,
     Bidar-Gulbarga and Gadwal to Raichur.

-    Rail infrastructure to be developed in Uttarakhand region.  Surveys for
     Saharanpur-Dehradun, Rishikesh-Karanprayag taken up.

-    Satisfactory progress at Talcher-Sambalpur, Daitari-Banspani, Jammu to
     Udhampur and Guna-Etawah projects.

-    Talcher-Sambalpur to be completed in 1997-98. Other 3 projects to be
     completed by December, 1999. 

-    Rs. 20 cr. provided for first phase of work between Udhampur-Katra on
     Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla line in the current year and Rs.75 cr.
     provided in 1997-98.

Gauge Conversion

-    Following works completed in the current year :-

     Wadsa-Nagbir
     Arsikere-Hassan
     Hossur-Salem
     Mhow-Shahganj
     Mehsana-Marwar-Ajmer.

-    By  March 1997 Hassan-Holenarsipur, Guntakal-Nandyal,  Sagauli-
     Narkatiaganj, Castle Rock-Vasco, Dimapur-Dibrugarh, Tinsukia-
     Lekhapani are to be opened.  Bangarpet-Kolar will also be completed. 

-    6900 Kilometres of Gauge Conversion will be completed in VIII Five
     Year Plan as against the target of 6,000 Kilometres.

-    Following section of Gauge Conversion projects are included in 1997-
     98:

     Jodhpur-Marwar
     Hotgi-Bijapur
     Nagbir-Chandafort
     Mehboobnagar-Dronachellam
     Mysore-Holenarsipur
     Chennai-Trichy
     Narkatiaganj-Valmikinagar
     Mariani-Furkating loop
     Hajipur-Bachwara
     Trichy-Thanjavur
     Hassan-Sakleshpur
     Simalguri-Moranhat

-    1200 Kilometres of Gauge Conversion will be completed in 1997-98.

-    Katpadi-Tirupati, Gorakhpur-Chitauni to be completed by middle of the
     next financial year. Scope of Mansi-Forbesganj Gauge Conversion
     project to be increased to take it upto Katihar.
     
-    Gauge Conversion of Jabalpur-Gondia including Balaghat-Katangi,
     Ajmer-Udaipur-Chittaurgarh, Ranchi-Lohardanga and Surendranagar-
     Bhavnagar-Dhola-Dhasa-Mahuva with extension to Pipavav included in
     the Supplementary Demands for Grants 1996-97.

-    Gauge Conversion project of Mudkhed-Secunderabad, Jaynagar-
     Darbhanga-Narkatiaganj and Samastipur-Khagaria, Rewari-Sadulpur,
     Mysore-Chamarajanagar with extension to Mettupalayam, Quilon-
     Tirunelveli-Trichandur and Tenkasi-Virudhnagar, Naupada-Gunupur and
     Villupuram-Pondicherry, Sriganganagar to Sarupsar, Luni-Barmer-
     Munabao, Kanpur-Kasganj, Kasganj-Bareilly and New Jalpaiguri-
     Silliguri-Bongaigaon are included in the Budget 1997-98. Actual work
     of construction would be started after certain formalities.      

-    Gauge Conversion of Bikaner-Hissar under  consideration.

Doubling

-    Following projects are included in the Budget :-

     Kangeri-Ramanagaram, Renigunta-Gudur, Patna-Gaya, Yeshwantpur-
     Tunkur and Gorakhpur-Sajanva, Champa-Sarabgundia, Rahama-
     Paradeep, Bilaspur-Urkura  Third line, Sarona-Bhilai Third line,
     Titlagarh-Lanjigarhand Goelkera-Manoharpur Third line.

     Work on doubling of Hospet-Guntakal Section will be started shortly.

Construction of a Workshop

-    A workshop is to be set up at Barauni to take up ROH of 250 air brake
     wagons per month at a cost of Rs.25 cr.

Surveys

-    Following new surveys for new lines included in the Budget 1997-98 :-

     Cuddapah to Nellore via Badvel and Atmakur and Butchireddipalem
     Nalgonda to Macherla via Nagarajunagar
     Kurnool to Kamalapuram
     Nadikudi and Srikalahasti via Karampudi, Venukonds, Kanigiri
     Bhadrachallam Road and Vishakhapatnam
     Kakinada to Pithapuram
     Pattancheru to Adilabad
     Kachiguda to Chityal
     Fatua-Islampur-Rajgir-Manipur-Gaya
     Rewari to Rohtak
     Bijapur-Athani-Shedbal
     Bangalore City-Mudigere-Shringeri
     Belgaum-Dharwad via Balhongal and Kitur
     Medikere-Channaraya-Patna via Holenarsipur, Arakalgad, Mercera
     Kushalnagar Channaraya-Patna via Kunanur
     Davangere to Bhadravati via  Chineri
     Gadag-Wadi
     Bidar-Gulbarga-Hospet
     New Moinaguri-Mathabunga-New Coochbehar to Jogighopa via
     Boxirhat

     Updating survey for new line from Bhairabi-Sairang/Aizawl

     Sivokto Gangtok
     Barpeta Road to Tihu
     Hoshiarpur to Una BG
     Nokha-Sikar via Bedasar and Sujangarh
     Churu to Taranagar
     Kolayat-Pokaran-Barmer
     Tindivanum to Pondicherry
     Chola to Bulandshahar
     Budge Budge to Falta
     Budge-Budge-Namkhana-Frazerganj
     Kursela-Rupoli-Saharsa
     Koparia/Samri-Bhaktiyarpur-Alamnagar-Bihariganj
     Khalilabad to Naugarh
     Hassanpur-Barauni
     Nanjangod-Badagara via Vyitri-Poozhithod
     Supual to Araria via Triveniganj and Raniganj
     Mainpuri-Etawah

-    Survey for new line between Gola Gokran Nath and Farrukhabad via
     Mohammadi and Shahjahanpur already sanctioned and work is in
     progress.

-    Survey for the following lines for Gauge Conversion being taken up :-

     Badarpur-Kumarghat, Katakhal-Bhairabi, Silchar-Jiribam, Baraigram-
     Dulabehera
     Katpadi-Villipuram
     Kaptanganj-Siwan, Thawe-Chhapra
     Bareilly-Lalkuan

-    Survey for doubling of following will be taken up :-

     Shahdara-Shamli
     Jharsuguda-Titlagarh
     Dehri-on-Sone to Jadhunathpur via Banjari

Konkan Railway Corporation

-    About 98% of the work of Konkan Railway Project already completed.

-    Out of 760 kms., Roha-Sawantwadi (364 kms.) and  Mangalore to
     Kundapura (100 kms.) already commissioned.

-    Due to unforeseen geological problems two tunnels in Goa Section about
     a length of 500 metres have still to be made through. Foreign
     consultancy is being obtained to solve the problem.

Metropolitan Transport Projects

-    Calcutta Metro already in operation, about 2 lakh passengers use this
     system every day.  Some residual works are in progress, likely to be
     completed by the end of March 1997, 

-    Techno-economic studies for extension of Metro from Tollyganj to New
     Garia completed.

-    Another techno-economic study for extension from Dum Dum and
     Princepghat in progress.  Circular Railway in operation from Dum Dum
     to Princepghat.  Survey for extension of the Circular Railway from
     Princepghat to Majerhat being taken up.

-    Electrification of Ranaghat-Gede, Ranaghat-Bongaon section being
     included in the Budget.

-    First phase of MRTS Chennai Project nearing completion.  Section from
     Chepauk to  Luz will be opened by March 1997.

-    Extension of MRTS from Luz to Vellachery is in progress.

-    RITES commissioned to undertake detailed study for laying of fifth and
     sixth lines from Mumbai Central to Borivli on Western Railway.  Fifth
     and sixth line from Mumbai CST to Kurla on Central Railway

-    More works identified for inclusion in Mumbai Urban Transport Project-
     II.

-    Development of transport facilities in New Mumbai area.

-    Construction of a new electrified track under execution in collaboration
     with State Government of Maharashtra.

-    Extension of fifth line from Santa Cruz to Borivli and construction of
     fifth and sixth line from Kurla to Bhandup in progress.

-    Existing 1500 Volt DC traction system in Mumbai area reached
     operational limits, being converted into 25 KV AC single phase 50 Hz
     system on Central and Western Railways.

-    Rs.170 cr. being provided for MTP.

Electrification

-    630 Route Kilometres likely to be electrified in 1996-97.

-    A total of 13,509 Route Kilometres fully electrified.

-    Target of 2700 Route Kilometres of VIII Plan to be completed.

Track Renewals

-    VIII Plan target of 9600 Kilometres. Target of 2564 Kilometres track
     renewal likely to be achieved in 1996-97.

Production Units

-    All Production Units achieved their targets except Rail Coach Factory,
     Kapurthala.  


IRCON International

-    Turnover of Rs.626 cr. in 1995-96, Foreign Exchange earnings worth
     Rs.189 cr., Profit of Rs.163 cr. before tax, Dividend of Rs.1.98 cr. paid.

RITES

-    Turnover of Rs.109.90 cr. in 1995-96, Foreign Exchange earnings worth
     Rs.42.50 cr., Paid dividend of Rs.60 lakh.

CONCOR

-    Turnover increased from Rs.217 cr.in 1994-95 to Rs.389 cr. in 1995-96.

Indian  Railway Finance Corporation

-    Target of raising Rs.1850 cr. in 1996-97, already paid Rs.1500 cr. upto
     January, 1997, Likely to exceed the target .  Profit of Rs.205.76 cr. in
     1995-96, Paid  dividend of  46.40 cr. Target of Rs.2150 cr. in 1997-98.

Sports

-    Railway emerged as National Title holder in 16 Championship in 1995-
     96.  Trend  continues in the current year as well, 13 Championship
     already won.  Two sports persons received Arjuna Award.

Medicare

-    Perambur Hospital occupies special place in Open Heart Surgery. 
     Linked to National Library  of Medicines in USA.

Railway Protection Force

-    Responsible for protecting railway property.  A special recruitment drive
     launched in North-East Frontier region,  Uttarakhand and Jammu &
     Kashmir for filling up RPF vacancies.

-    750 Women constables to be recruited.            

-    Special recruitment drive to clear backlog vacancies of SCs/STs.

-    Contractual system of cleanliness in Railways stopped.

Regularisation of Casual Labour 

-    All 56,000 casual labour are to be regularised by 31 March 1998.  More
     then 16,000 casual labour already regularised.

Productivity Linked Bonus

-    PLB equivalent to 52 days wages to Group 'C' and 'D' railway employees
     without any eligibility wage ceiling for 1995-96 has been paid.

Inventory Control

-    An inventory turnover ratio of 14% was achieved in 1995-96.  Scrap
     worth Rs.1018 cr. was sold during 1995-96.

Setting up of New Zones

-    All the six new Zonal Headquarters have been inaugurated, Officers on
     Special Duty have been posted alongwith other team of officers to
     complete preliminary works.

Passenger Services

-    82 new trains were introduced upto January, 1997 in the current year.

-    Frequency of 22 trains was increased and 62 trains were extended.

-    Railways ran 1214 special trains to clear summer vacation and marriage
     season rush.

-    Following trains  to be introduced in the Golden Jubilee Year of
     Independence :-

     Ahmedabad-Delhi Rajdhani Express (Weekly)
     Secunderabad-Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (Weekly)
     Bangalore-Nizamuddin Express via Hubli (Weekly)
     Ranchi-Delhi Express (Weekly)
     Visakhapatnam-Nizamuddin Express via Vijayawada (Bi-   weekly) 

-    Following  new trains will also be run :-

     Madras-Tirupati Intercity
     Vasco-Bangalore Express
     Surat-Patna Express (Weekly)
     Gorakhpur-Dehradun Express (Bi-weekly)
     Koraput-Rayagada Link Express to Bhubaneshwar
     Katihar-Barauni Link Express to Tatanagar

-    A superfast day time train between Bangalore and Coimbatore Intercity
     service will be introduced.

-    Frequency of the following trains will be increased :-

     9767/9768 Jaipur-Chennai Express from 1 to 3.
     7611/7612 Nanded-Amritsar Express from 1 to 3.
     4245/4246 Surat-Varanasi from 4 to 5.
     3301/3302 Dhanbad-Tatanagar Suvaranrekha Express  (Daily).

-    The run of the following trains will be extended

     4609/4610 Jammu Tawi -Ferozepur Express to Jodhpur (via     
     Bhatinda/Bikaner)
     3307/3308 Dhanbad-Ludhiana Express to Ferozepur        
     6315/6316 Cochin-Howrah weekly Express to Trivandrum
     3327/3328 Howrah-Singrauli Shaktipunj Express to Jodhpur
     4047/4048 Delhi-Gonda Express to Gorakhpur
     5217/5218 Kurla-Muzaffarpur Express to Darbhanga on one more day
     6311/6312 Bangalore-Howrah Weekly Express to Guwahati
     7663/7664 Kacheguda-Aurangabad Express  to Manmad
     8005/8006 Howrah-Rayagada Express to Kazipet
     5323/5324 Gorakhpur-Darbhanga Express to Jainagar.

-    On development of additional line capacity and terminal capacity,
     Hyderabad and Cochin Express will be  extended to Kanniyakumari.

-    Madras-Howrah Mail (6003/6004) and Madras-Howrah Coromandal
     Express (2841/2842) will be augmented by additional coaches and
     electrification so as to give an additional service between
     Vishakhapatnam-Madras.

Rajdhani Services

-    Frequency of Nizamuddin-Madras Rajdhani Express to be increased
     from weekly to bi-weekly.

-    Guwahati Rajdhani Express to be extended upto Dibrugarh via Dimapur.

-    Nizamuddin-Trivandrum Rajdhani Express  to be diverted via Konkan
     Railway.  Thus, an exclusive Rajdhani Express for Goa and Kerala.

-    Mangala Express to be diverted via Konkan Railway and to be extended
     upto Ernakulam to provide new service from Ernakulam to Delhi. 
     Travelling time from Delhi to Ernakulam  reduced by more than 12
     hours.

-    Kurla-Mangalore-Cochin  Netravati Express to be diverted via Konkan
     Railway.

-    Main line EMU services will be started on the following sections :-

     Purulia-Asansol-Bardhaman
     sansol-Chittaranjan-Jhajha
     Dhanbad-Gomoh-Gaya
     Gaya-Dehri-on-Sone-Mughalsarai
     Kanpur-Agra 

-    DMU services will be started on the following sections :-

     Amritsar-Derababa Nanak
     Amritsar-Atari
     Satna-Maihar
     Nidadavolu-Bhimavaram-Narrsapur

     Rail Bus services to be  started on the following sections :-

     Jalamb-Khamgaon
     Etah-Barhan
     Tinpahar-Raj Mahal

Metre Gauge :

     Kalol-Vijapur-Ambliyasan
     Garhi-Harsaru-Farukhnagar

-    It has been decided to provide NG  Rail Bus on the following sections
     after their restoration :-

     Dankura-Damodar
     Bodeli-Chhota Udepur
     Maharajganj-Duraundha
     Ankleshwar-Raj Pipla

Special Announcements

-    Licensed porters will get one set of winter uniform every second year.
     This is in addition to other facilities such as concessional travel and
     medical facilities.

-    Porters at Railway Stations are being allowed 75% travel concession by
     Sleeper Class once a year. They will now be allowed totally free travel
     once a year.

-    Press correspondents accredited to Headquarters of Government of India
     and to the State Governments/Union Territories for travel in connection
     with press work will be able to travel in upper class also within their
     monetary entitlements under the existing concessions.

-    Medical facilities for retired Railway employees will be at par with
     serving employees.

-    Complementary passes to be  given to winners of President's Policce
     Medals for Gallantry and President's Police Medals also.

-    Children who have made significant contributions in their own fields
     will be awarded alongwith one of  their parents a free one time travel
     pass of Sleeper Class.

-    Changes in dress of certain categories of Railway staff will be introduced
     from 15th August, 1997.

-    Station Managers/Superintendents at about 450 stations authorised to
     refund of tickets.

                   HIGHLIGHTS OF RAILWAY BUDGET, 1997-98

                                 PART - II



BUDGET ESTIMATES, 1997-98

-    Freight loading of 430 million tonnes.
-    Passenger traffic estimated to grow by 3% over 1996-97
-    Gross Traffic Receipts at the current fare and freight rates estimated at
     Rs.26055 cr.  An increase of Rs.1605 cr. over Revised Estimates of
     1996-97.
-    Ordinary Working Expenses estimated at Rs.20935 cr. - An increase of
     Rs.4785 cr. over the revised estimates of 1996-97  - this is to cover  cost
     of inputs for incremental traffic, expected increase in prices, increase in
     Dearness Allowance, higher lease charges to  Indian Railway Finance
     Corporation and impact of  recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission.
-    Appropriation to DRF Rs.2000 cr.
-    Appropriation to Pension Fund Rs.2200 cr. and Rs.300 cr. to be drawn
     from the balance of Pension Fund.
-    Total Working Expenses estimated at Rs.25135 cr.
-    Net Traffic Receipts comes to Rs.920 cr. - Net Miscellaneous Receipts
     works out to Rs.284 cr.
-    Net Railway Revenue comes to Rs.1204 cr.
-    Dividend payable to General Revenues estimated at Rs.1630 cr.
-    Shortfall of Rs.426 cr.
-    Internal Resources works out to Rs.1619 cr. at existing fares and freight
     rates.
-    Borrowing through IRFC fixed at Rs.2150 cr.
-    An investment of Rs.900 cr. expected under BOLT/OYW schemes.
-    Budgetary support from General Exchequer fixed at Rs.1831 cr.
-    Total resources available for Plan expenditure are Rs.6500 cr.
-    Annual Plan fixed at Rs.8300 cr.
-    A gap of Rs.1800 cr. in Plan resources.

Tariff proposals to be effective from 01.04.1997

-    No increase in fares of Second Class Ordinary and Second Class
     Mail/Express.
-    No increase in fares of monthly and quarterly Season Tickets for Second
     Class and First Class for all distances.
-    No increase in platform tickets charges.
-    The rates of platform tickets not increased.
-    5% increase in fares of Sleeper Class (Mail/Express/Ordinary) for all
     distances.
-    10% increase for all distances in respect of the following classes of
     travel:
     -    Air Conditioned First Class
     -    Air Conditioned 2-Tier Sleeper
     -    Air Conditioned 3-Tier Sleeper
     -    Air Conditioned Chair Car, and
     -    First Class (Mail/Express/Ordinary)
-    The fares of Shatabdi Expresses and Rajdhani Expresses including
     August Kranti Expresses to be revised suitably.

-    Catering will be provided from 01.04.97 in Hazrat  Nizamuddin -
     Trivandrum, Hazrat Nizamuddin - Bangalore and Hazrat Nizamuddin -
     Jammu Tawi Express.  Charges will be included in the fare itself as in
     other Rajdhani Expresses.
-    A surcharge of 20% on parcel and luggage rates in superfast trains.
-    No increase in newspaper and magazine rates.

Proposals in regard to freight rates

-    Freight rates of all commodities raised by 12% for all distances.
-    Following commodities are exempted:

     Foodgrains and Pulses, Edible Salt, Edible Oils, Urea as Chemical
     Fertilizer,    Kerosene, Sugar, Liquified Petroleum Gas, Fruits fresh
     including Bananas and Vegetables, Fodder other than Oil Cakes,
     Livestock, Oil Seeds, Organic manures, Gur, Shakar and Jaggery,
     Hydrogenated Oil and Vegetable Oil (Refined).
-    Revised fare and freight rates to come into force from 01.04.97.
-    Expected additional revenue of about Rs.1800 cr.