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What’s likely to be unveiled by the Railway Budget

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The Rail Budget this year will focus on making long-distance travel comfortable, densening the railway network in the poll-bound states and enhancing the connectivity in metro cities as well as the Northeast region.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her fourth Budget on Tuesday (February 1).

This will be the sixth joint Budget after the merger of the Rail Budget with the Union Budget in 2017.

As per information, it is expected that the Centre will increase the Rail budget by 15 to 20 per cent this year.

With the Assembly elections in five states round the corner, the Centre can announce new railway facilities for the common passengers.

Although the Railways incurred a loss of Rs 26,338 crore in the last one year, this time the Rail Budget is expected to be enhanced to around Rs 2.5 lakh crore.

Last year, the Centre allocated a record budget of Rs 1,10,055 crore for the Railways.

The Centre can also propose the electrification of a record 7,000 km of railway track this time as part of its efforts to achieve complete electrification of broad-gauge railway lines by the end of 2023.

The lower and the middle class pay special attention to the Rail Budget as they share a deep connection with the railways, which is considered as the lifeline of the country. There is also a possibility of the announcement of high-speed trains in the Budget.

Plans are being made to strengthen the rail connectivity in the poll-bound states and metro cities. For this, the government can involve some private partners.

A bullet train between New Delhi and Varanasi can also be announced in the Budget. Significantly, the work of the first bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is already underway.

Similarly, announcement of a bullet train on the Delhi-Howrah route is also expected in the Budget.

Announcements regarding semi-high speed trains on the Golden Quadrilateral route, expansion of Vande Bharat Express and new dedicated freight corridors are also expected.

As per the sources, the special focus in the Rail Budget will be on the Golden Quadrilateral Routes, on which the government can announce to run semi-high speed trains having a speed of 180 to 200 kmph. These trains will be like the Vande Bharat Express.

The replacement of the old ICF coaches in all trains and installation of new LHB coaches, is another major announcement to be expected in the Budget.

About ten new light trains (aluminium ones), which are energy efficient, can be announced for long distance journeys. Similarly, a proposal to make 6,500 aluminium coaches, 1,240 locomotives and about 35,000 wagons can be proposed in the Budget.

Railways is also manufacturing several special trains replacing the traditional IPS coaches with the LHB coaches made of German technology. Also the coaches for a new ‘Deccan Queen’ are being manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai.

For this new ‘Deccan Queen’, two specially designed coaches for guards, five AC chair car coaches, 12 non-AC chair car coaches and one pantry cum dining coach have been made. This train will have 20 coaches and each one will have its own specialty. On the same lines, other trains are also expected to be announced in the Budget.

In the Rail Budget, the Centre will also be focusing on the expansion of the rail network in the Northeast region.

In the last Budget also, the Finance Minister had announced plans to build new DFC corridors for routes like East Coast, East-West and North-South. Just before the Manipur elections, for the first time since Independence, a goods train reached Rani Gaidinliu railway station in Tamenglong district of Manipur.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has recently taken stock of the Jiribam-Imphal new line project in Manipur through an aerial survey. The project includes the longest tunnel in the country, which will connect Guwahati and Imphal. Vaishnaw had said that Rs 7,000 crore has been allocated this year for various rail projects in the Northeast.

Business

Is Market Correction Over? Sensex Soars By Over 1,900 Points; Nifty Gains Over 2%

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The marquee indices closed with monumental gains as Dalal Street recovered with some requisite optimism ahead of the Maharashtra state election results on November 23.

Indian Markets Close With Bumper Gains

On Friday, November 22, the marquee indices closed with monumental gains, as Dalal Street recovered with some requisite optimism ahead of the Maharashtra state election results on November 23.

The BSE Sensex closed for the day’s proceeding with some big numbers. The oldest index in Asia closed with gains of a colossal 1961.32 points or 2.54 per cent. This took the overall value of the index to 79,117.11.

The situation was equally euphoric at the National Stock Exchange. The NSE Nifty closed at 23,830.90, having gained 481.00 points or 2.06 per cent.

In addition, the Nifty Bank index also made gains of over 1.5 per cent. Thebanking index closed with gains of 858.50 points or 1.70 per cent, pushing it beyond the coveted 50K mark, propelling it to 51,231.40.

Gainers and Losers

The days went exceedingly well for most listed companies, the day closed with a green wall. At the BSE end, SBI, Titan and TCS were the biggest gainers with all of the said companies gaining over 4 per cent.

ITC, L&T, Infosys and Reliance also made major gains in excess of 3 per cent by the end of day.

This comes after days, nearly a two-week long period of decline, that marred the market, pushing Sensex below its 80K mark, and Nifty, much below its 25K mark.

It remains to be seen, whether the much discussed market correction that brought about bringing the indices to their actual value, has come to an end or whether sea of red will continue in the time to come.

In addition, it also remains to be seen, whether, the election results for teh critical state of Maharahstra would have an effect on the market, in the next trading week.

Asian Markets

The Asian markets also flourished green with great momentum, as these indices closed on a positive note as well.

Japan’s Nikkei gained 0.68 per cent or 257.68 points, moving towards the 40K mark, closing at 38,283.85.

Another Tokyo-based index, TOPIX, closed at 2,696.53, gaining by 0.51 per cent or 13.72 points.

As we move to China, the story was a lot different, as, contrary to the Indian and Japanese markets, the Chinese markets closed in red.

Hang Seng closed with significant losses in its numbers, closing with a massive fall of 1.89 per cent or 371.14 points, at 19,229.97.

The loss was even greater in mainland China, as the Shanghai-based SSE Composite also ended the day’s trade with deep cuts. The index crumbled by 3.06 per cent or 103.21 points of its value and closed at 3,267.19.

South Korea’s KOSPI was in tandem with other market as closed with some good news. KOSPI closed with an increase of 0.83 per cent or 20.61 points, closing for the day at 2,501.24.

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Business

‘Innocent Unless And Until Proven Guilty’: Adani Group Issues Statement In The US Bribery Indictment; Denies Charges, Calls Them Baseless

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The Adani Group, which has been at the eye of the storm since the beginning of the new day, has issued a statement in the US Indictment matter.

Adani Denies Charges

The company, in a statement procured by the conglomerate-owned IANS, said, “The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied.”

Furthermore, the statement asserted its stance and added, “As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, “the charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.” All possible legal recourse will be sought.”

Committed to Highest Standards

The Adani Group further added that it has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations.

US Court Indicts Adani and Co.

The company, in an attempt to assuage stakeholders, partners and employees, said that the company is a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws.

The storm was kicked off by a post from short-seller group Hindenburg, which shared the news of the US Federal Court’s indictment of Gautam Adani and seven others associated with the company.

Billionaire Gautam Adani has been charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay over USD 250 million (about Rs 2,100 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.

The press release from the US court elaborated on the allegations and claimed that the company and its leadership had indulged in mass bribery activity, in which the company bribed Indian officials to bag a contract for its Adani Green Energy company.

This in turn led to misleading American investors and global financial investors.

The court reportedly also issued an arrest warrant against Gautam Adani and seven others.

Adani Shares Tank

In the aftermath of the report, Adani Group company shares tanked at Dalal Street. With Adani Enterprises shares hitting the lower circuit, losing 20 per cent of their value. The situation was the same with the other Adani stocks, including Adani Green Energy, which is in the middle of the new storm.

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Business

Bharat NCAP Awards 5-Star Crash Test Rating to Mahindra Thar Roxx

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The Mahindra Thar Roxx has earned a prestigious 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP’s latest crash tests, reflecting its commitment to safety. Recently evaluated under stringent testing, the SUV excelled with a 31.09 out of 32 score for adult occupant protection and 45 out of 49 for child safety.

Tested in its AX5L and MX3 variants, the Mahindra Thar Roxx delivered notable results, scoring 15.09 out of 16 in the Frontal Offset test and a perfect 16 out of 16 in the Side Impact test. The assessment revealed strong protection for most areas, with adequate ratings for the driver’s chest and lower legs.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx has received high marks for child occupant safety, scoring 24 points in Bharat NCAP tests, along with 12 points for CRS (Child Restraint System) installation and a Vehicle Assessment Score of 9. This top-tier safety rating applies to all Thar Roxx units produced from November 2024 onward, underscoring Mahindra’s dedication to enhancing safety features across its SUV range. Additionally, Mahindra’s XUV400 and 3XO models have also achieved 5-star safety ratings, further emphasizing the automaker’s commitment to robust safety standards.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx offers two interior themes – Classic Ivory and a new Dark Mocha Brown. Comfort and convenience are prioritizing with ventilated seats, leatherette upholstery, a digital driver display, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, a high-quality Harmon Kardon sound system, a panoramic sunroof, rear AC vents, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, combining practicality with luxury.

Mahindra Thar 5-door comes packed with safety and interior upgrades to enhance its appeal. On the safety side, it includes essentials like six airbags, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, hill control features, electronic stability control, and a seatbelt reminder. Advanced driver-assist features, such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping support, lane departure alerts, and a 360-degree camera system with blind spot monitoring, add an extra layer of protection.

Mahindra Thar Roxx offers two engine choices: a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel. The petrol engine comes in two setups—150 bhp and 330 Nm of torque for the manual, and 174 bhp with 380 Nm for the automatic. The diesel option is available only with four-wheel drive.

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