Lok Sabha Question No. 304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-03
Subject: Dedicated Freight Corridor
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh, Nisith Pramanik, Jayanta Kumar Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.304

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2021

## DEDICATED FREIGHT CORRIDOR

## 304.  SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI NISITH PRAMANIK:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently dedicated few sections of Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) to the nation;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of earnings from freight including loading during the last three years;
- (d) whether the Railways has provided any incentive  to  Kisan  Rail Freight transportation; if so, the details thereof;
- (e)    whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  initiatives  to  attract more  freight  business  and  increase  income  from  it  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a)  &  (b):  Yes,  Sir.  The  following  two  (2)  sections  of  DFC  have  been commissioned and dedicated to the nation by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India:-
- (i)  Bhaupur  to  Khurja  (351  km)  of  Eastern  Dedicated  Freight Corridor (EDFC) on 29.01.2020.

Cont'd.. 2

- (ii)  Rewari  to  Madar  (306  km)  of  Western  Dedicated  Freight Corridor (WDFC) on 07.01.2021.
- (c): Details of freight and freight revenue for the last three years are as under:
- (d): 50%  subsidy  is being given in transportation of fruits  and vegetable by Kisan Rail through a scheme administered by Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
- (e)  &  (f):  In  order  to  attract  more  freight  business,  Railways  have taken a number of tariff and non-tariff measures. These, include:-
- (i) Setting up of Business development units to inter alia actively pursue and attract freight business for rail.
- (ii) Withdrawal of 15% Busy season surcharge on railway freight for all commodities except iron ore and coal.
- (iii) Concession on long lead traffic of 15 to 20% on Coal, Iron-ore and iron & steel.
- (iv) Concession on short lead traffic of 10 to 50% for commodities (except Coal and iron-ore)
- (v) 5% discount on loaded Containers & 25% on empty Containers and waiver of stabling charges on Container rakes during COVID till 31 st  Oct, 2020.
- (vi)
- Specific discounts on commodities such as fly ash.
- (vii)
- Rationalisation of classification of industrial salt.
- (viii) Making existing schemes like traditional empty flow directions,  wagon  investment  schemes,  PFT,  Siding  Policy simplified and made more customer friendly.
- (ix)
- Debit/Credit scheme for Demurrage introduced for sidings.
- (x) Launching of Freight Business Development Portal.

| Year    |   Freight (in Million Tonnes) | Freight Revenue (in Crores)   |
|---------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                       1159.55 | ` 1,17,055.40                 |
| 2018-19 |                       1221.48 | ` 1,27,432.72                 |
| 2019-20 |                       1208.41 | ` 1,13,487.89                 |

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