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Railways May Stray on to Deficit Track Next Year

  • The Indian Railways is set to record a marginal surplus in the current financial year -- much lower than the Rs 5,258 crore (Rs 52.58 billion) budgeted in February 2011. But, the fall is only a trailer, considering the country's largest passenger and goods transport network is likely to go into deficit next year.According to an assessment by the government, the deficit for the railways in 2012-13 could be as high as Rs 2,162 crore (Rs 21.62 billion), unless it goes for another round of freight rationalisation, introduces some radical changes in passenger fares like dynamic pricing or strengthens its alternative revenue sources, that is public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives, land use and advertisements.The Railway Budget for 2012-13 is scheduled to be presented on March 14.

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