NDA's disruption of Rly Budget presentation unprecedented:Lalu

New Delhi, Feb 26 (UNI) Fuming over the disruption of his speech by the NDA during presentation of the Railway Budget in the Lok Sabha today, Minister Lalu Prasad described the act as ''anti-people'' and ''unprecedented.'' ''It was unfortunate and perhaps for the first time in the history of Parliament that the presentation of the Railway budget has been disrupted,'' said Mr Prasad addressing a crowded press conference soon after unveiling the new budget.

They have in fact blocked the people of the country from listening to what concerned them most, he said.

''It is their habit. They have no shame. If they wanted a discussion on Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi, they should have asked for a separate time. But by disrupting the proceedings, they have shown their utmost unconcern over things affecting the people,'' the Minister said.

Launching a scathing attack on the handling of the Railways by the previous NDA Government, Mr Prasad said during their ''India shining days'' Railways were sinking and their bad shape had prompted a thinking that they should be handed over to the private sector.

''But when we took over, we broke the myth propagated by some economists that panacea for all problems was the private sector.

With the same staff and infrastructure we have put the Railways on the track, and the credit for this goes to all employees,'' he said.

Railways are India's lifeline and the means of transport for the poor, and his Ministry was very happy that it had not introduced any hike in fares despite the general rise in prices.

''It is a slap on the face of those who cannot control things in the name of price rise,'' he said.

It is an achievement that fares have been reduced and freights have remained untouched while achieving a record surplus of Rs 20,000 crore in the new Budget, he said.

He said the new budgest was his fourth successive one in which there has been no hike in passenger fares and freight rates.

Replying to a question over the reduction of fares in some categories only in the new high capacity coaches, he said that it will not take much time for the people to benefit from this concession as new kind of coaches will be introduced within a year.

He said a commodity-based freight policy is to be formulated to better address the needs of customers for major commodities. This would be introduced on an experimental basis from April 1 through an exclusive package for cement.

An additional empty flow discount of 30 per cent would be given on bagged consignment of wheat, fertilisers and cement loaded in open wagons. At present, a 20 per cent discount is given to wheat, 30 per cent to fertilisers and 15 per cent to cement.

Thus the discount would go up to about 40 per cent for incremental loading of cement, wheat and fertilisers in bags, in empty flow direction, he said.

UNI