Rail budget lacks vision for future: JD(U)

New Delhi, Feb 24 (UNI) Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav today termed the railway budget as populist and said that it lacked vision for the future.

''The rail budget is not unbalanced, it lacks vision and has nothing for the future,'' Mr Yadav told UNI over telephone from Jabalpur where he has gone to attend a function.

He said the Railway Minister has just focussed on getting false publicity and not taken any programme for time-bound development of railways in the country.

Terming the railway budget as ''healing budget,'' he said that stung by the defeat in assembly election in Bihar the Railway Minister has given at least 15 new trains for the state.

''However, it is now too late and people are aware of his intentions,'' he added.

Mr Yadav charged that Mr Lalu Prasad has done nothing for extending railway line in the country in a time-bound manner for the future.

He said the minister has not taken any step with the present situation.

He said the previous NDA government had given plans for extending the rail network in the country but Mr Prasad has not done anything to implement them. The work on gauge conversion were pending in many areas, including Mithilanchal in Bihar, but no steps have been taken in this direction.

''In all the budget is just a populist measure, lacking direction, balance and a vision for future,'' he added.

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