40,000 rail bogies to be upgraded to Vande Bharat standards: Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while announcing the Interim Budget 2024-25, announced an upgrade of 40,000 normal rail bogies to Vande Bharat Standards for enhanced passenger safety and comfort. 

She further revealed plans for three major economic railway corridors: energy, mineral and cement corridors; port connectivity corridors; and high traffic density corridors, aiming to accelerate GDP growth and reduce logistic costs. 
These projects fall under the PM Gati Shakti for enabling multi-modal connectivity. Sitharaman expressed confidence that the BJP government will retain power post the Lok Sabha elections this year and present a detailed roadmap for Viksit Bharat in the full budget. 

She also highlighted the Indian economy's positive transformation over the past decade. Sitharaman reaffirmed the government's commitment to 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Vishwas', acknowledging the challenges of the pandemic but also India's resilience in building an Atmanirbhar Bharat. 

She identified the poor, women, youth, and farmers as the four major pillars needing focus. Sitharaman concluded her presentation with a positive outlook, signalling the government's determination to foster inclusive growth and development. 

The Budget 2024 is expected to undergo scrutiny and debates in the Parliament in the coming days, as stakeholders assess its potential impact on the nation's economic trajectory.

Also read: Budget 2024: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promises 2 crore new homes under housing scheme