Suresh Prabhu releases book compiling rail budget speeches

NEW DELHI: Railways minister Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday released a book compiling the rail budget speeches made in Parliament from 1924-25 to 1946-47.
The move surprised many, including railways officials, as it came amid indications that BJP government is set to scrap the British practice of presenting separate rail budget.
A note prepared by Niti Aayog Bibek Debroy has suggested integration of rail budget with general budget to pave the way for pushing major reforms in railways.
Speeches of railway members of viceroy’s council and railways minister of Indian Union presented in Parliament before Independence would help in better understanding the growth of railways and its finances, the railways said.
“These speeches being significant policy documents will help in understanding the growth of Indian Railways and its finances,” said a railway statement.
The state-run transporter also signed an agreement with National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR) Vadodara for setting up of CT Venugopal Chair on strategic finance, research and policy development for Indian Railways at the academy.
The Chair is being named after Shri CT Venugopal, who was the first officer to be recruited to the Indian Railways Accounts Service.
He was also responsible for division of railway assets between India and Pakistan.
"This Chair would focus and promote research on issues of emerging financial challenges and opportunities for Railways in India in particular and transport sector in general," said an official.