I am a transformer not a fuse bulb: Lalu

Muzaffarpur, Nov 19 (UNI) '' I am a transformer and not a fuse bulb, '' RJD supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad retorted sharply to his bete noire Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's dubbing him as a''fuse bulb''.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Prasad said in a lighter vein, '' I am not a fuse bulb, but like a transformer, which lights many bulbs. '' Reacting to the comments of Mr Kumar, he said the Chief Minister should avoid using such language.

He alleged that eight districts of Bihar had totally been destroyed in the flood due to the negligence of Mr Kumar.

Earlier addressing a function on the occasion of takeover of Bharat Vagon and Engineering Company Limited by the Railways, Mr Prasad announced to create more job avenues in Bihar by implementing projects of Railways to the tune of Rs 65,000 crore.

He said by reviving the closed unit of Bharat Vagon, the Railways had provided a new lifeline to nearly 500 employees of the company.

The manufacturing capacity of the company would be enhanced double fold, announced the Railway Minister.

Mr Prasad outlined in detail the railway projects to be launched in near future in the state and said the Ministry was developing a railway network in Bihar.

He said with the joint efforts of Railways and the NTPC, a power station of 1000 MW would be set up at Navinagar in Bihar and hoped the Railways would generate profit of over Rs one lakh crore in the FY 2008-09.

Regarding the assault on Biharis, who went to Maharahstra to appear in the Railway examination, Mr Prasad categorically stated that complete transparency was maintained in the examination and anyone could get a job on the basis of merit.

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