MPs laud Rail Ministry performance

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha today said the Railways have appropriated a profit of Rs 23,000 crores while accruing a cash balance of Rs 16,000 crores in the fiscal.

RJD member Mutihur Rehman said the railways has earned profits and returned a healthy cash balance which is a commendable job by Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad.

Mr Prasad started the discussion on Appropriation Railways (No 5 and 6) Bill by placing it in Rajya Sabha.

Congress member from Goa Shanta Ram Laxman Naik also lauded the performance of the sector. He urged Mr Prasad to set up a direct train through Baroda to Goa. He said the existing trains Mangala Express and Goa Express takes 36 and 48 hours respectively from the longer route.

He said more attention is needed for luggage safety, sanitation, medicines.

SP member Virendra Walia said although Railways was making profits, crime was going up. There is a need to improve smaller village stations in the country.

P R Rajan, CPI (M) said the Railways must provide more vacancies for jobless youth in the country. He cautioned against privatisation moves in the railways especially leasing out projects through prublic private partnerships.

He demanded a separate zone for Kerala which is currently under the Souther Zone.

Rajkishore Chaturvedi of BJP said bridges in Rajasthan needs repair and one in Kota is incomplete for several years. He said there is no imrpovement in the monitoring system of the Railways.

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