New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has begun presenting Rail Budget 2013-14 in Parliament.

Bansal is the first Congress minister in 17 years to present the Rail Budget.

Cash-strapped Railways had effected an across the board 21 percent passenger fare hike in January this year, aiming to mop up an additional revenue of Rs 6,600 crore.

The total passenger earnings of the Indian Railways for the period spanning last 10 months have been Rs 25,924 crore, whereas the target for the current fiscal is Rs 36,000 crore.

The annual plan size of Railways was slashed down to Rs 52,000 crore from Rs 61,000 crore for the year 2012-13 due to the overall cut in expenditure. Annual Plan size may touch Rs 65,000 crore in the next fiscal.

Currently, there are about 347 rail projects worth Rs 1.47 lakh crore pending.

The Planning Commission has earmarked Rs 1,94,221 crore as General Budgetary Support (GBS) for Railways in the 12th Five-Year Plan. It has asked the national transporter to earn Rs 1,05,000 crore from internal generation and Rs 2,20,000 crore through extra budgetary resources during (2012-17).

Industry has called for speedy implementation of key railway projects such as the Dedicated Freight Corridor, high- speed rail corridors, rolling stock and other capacity enhancement works in the Rail Budget 2013-14.

Here are the Highlights of the Rail Budget