Anything for 13.1 lakh Rail Parivar? List of takeaways from Railway Budget 2014

Rail Budget documents under security check outside Parliament

AMID big-ticket announcements of bullet train, PPP, FDI etc. in Tuesday’s Railway Budget, minister DV Sadananda Gowda’s baby steps towards 13 lakh 10 thousand railway employees got unnoticed. The minister said, the kitty towards the Staff Benefit Fund and benefits to meritorious children of railway employees will increase now. But the minister did not seem to be committed when he said, the government would "examine" feasibility of providing air-conditioning in loco cabins, a move that will benefit the train drivers. Here are the initiatives for the Rail Parivar.
1. Kitty towards the Staff Benefit Fund will increase. Rs 800 per capita will now be contributed towards Staff Benefit Fund against current Rs 500.
2. There will be a special scheme for the meritorious wards of railway persons for their outstanding performance in academics and sports for such children.
3. The Hospital Management Information system will be used to integrate all health units, divisional hospitals and Central hospitals as well as the railways’ empanelled hospitals.
4. The government will examine feasibility of providing air-conditioning in loco cabins.
5. A Railway University for both technical and non-technical subjects will be set up.
6. There will be tie-ups with technical institutions for introducing railway-oriented subject for graduation and skill development. In the meantime, staff at the ground level will be sent for short duration courses of technical and non-technical nature, involving locally available technical institutions.
7. The exposure for specialized areas like high-speed, heavy haul operations, etc. will be undertaken for all level of staff and officers at appropriate institutes in India and abroad.