Railway Budget to be unveiled Today

Railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who managed to keep passengers fares in check for the last five years, is expected to announce more sops for train passengers when he presents his sixth Railway Budget in Parliament on Friday.

Addressing the media ahead of presenting the Railway Budget in Parliament today, Lalu said, “I have done my bit in the past five budgets to benefit the people. It doesn’t happen in one day. It is a continuous process.”

Indicating that he may not increase train fares, Lalu Prasad said he has always made efforts to keep interests of the common man in view while taking decisions in his department.

"I cannot say anything before I present the Rail Budget in Parliament. But I have always kept in mind the interest of the poor and the common people," he told reporters at his residence.

"I have made efforts to remove the hatred that was there against the railways and its officials and make the system more efficient," the minister said.

Lalu thanked “his colleagues in the UPA government” including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for giving him “full cooperation” in carrying out policies for welfare of public.

Refusing to divulge anything about “what contains in his budget” which will be presented in Parliament at around 12pm, Lalu said, “The only thing I can say right now is that UPA government will come to power again”.

Asked if he was planning to introduce the high speed 'bullet train' by which he had travelled during his recent visit to Japan, Prasad said his ministry was looking into the issue.

Prasad, who desisted from carrying out any upward hike in the passenger fares despite increase in global prices of crude oil in the past five years of UPA rule, may this time announce some pro-people schemes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Though it is a vote-on-account exercise, sources in the ministry said Lalu is keen to share the benefits of the reduction in oil prices with passengers. Speculation is rife that Lalu might slash passengers’ fares in certain sector while seeking budgetary grant for April-July period.

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