Railways' profit to touch Rs One lakh crore in next one year:Lalu

Siwan, May 24 (UNI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today exuded confidence that profit of his ministry would touch the figure of Rs one lakh crore in next one year.

Addressing a function here to mark the opening of a new building at Siwan Railway station, Mr Prasad said during the regime of the Vajpayee government at the centre, the Indian railways was running into losses of cross of rupees and the erstwhile government was toying with the idea to hand it over to the private secter.

'' Since I assumed the charge of Railway ministry four years back, its performance had improved considerably and the India railways earned the profit of Rs 69,000 crore so far, '' he said adding by the end of the current financial year its profit would reach upto a whopping One lakh crore.

Mr Prasad said the Railways was committed to improving facilities for the passengers at almost all railway stations across the country.

Steps had already been taken to improve amenities at about 7500 railways stations and works at most of them were going on at war footing, he added.

The Railway Minister lamented that despite several requests Nitish Kumar government was not providing lands for execution of various railway projects in the state. Railaways, itself, was acquiring lands at several places to carry out its development project, he added.

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