Railways discontinue iconic ‘Pink Book’; to issue zone-wise budget documents instead

Ashwini Vaishnaw. Pic/PTI

In a significant policy shift following the 2017 merger of the Railway Budget with the Union Budget, the Ministry of Railways has decided to discontinue the publication of the much-anticipated "Pink Book." This annual compendium detailed budgetary allocations to various zonal railways and production units.

From this year onward, the Railways will instead issue comprehensive budget documents tailored to each individual zone and production unit.

"It has been decided to prepare comprehensive budget documents for each Zonal Railway and Production Unit, incorporating details of earnings, working expenses, capital expenditure, list of works, etc. The work of preparing these documents has already begun," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament.

Vaishnaw was responding to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha from MP Adhikari Deepak Dev, who sought details on the reasons behind discontinuing the Pink Book and whether the government intended to revive its publication.

Traditionally released after the Union Budget, the Pink Book served as a detailed guide for fund allocation across railway zones. It included specifics on spending for safety-related works, maintenance, infrastructure development, doubling of lines, and new projects. For decades, it functioned as a master plan, guiding the implementation and monitoring of railway investments across India.