Lalu Yadav promises common man more in Railway Budget 2009-10

New Delhi, Feb 13 (ANI): Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday will present his sixth rail budget and told media persons at his residence this morning that he would announce further sops for train passengers.

Yadav, however, refused to reveal details, but thanked his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) colleagues, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for extending full cooperation in carrying out his policies for public welfare.

Ahead of the vote on account exercise, Yadav had inaugurated several railway-related projects in Bihar, and sanctioned projects worth Rs. 55, 000 crore in the past one month.

He is the first Railway Minister to introduce the low fare air-conditioned trains known as "Garib Rath". Fifteen such trains are already running and five more are expected to start in the near future.

The railways has been profiting year on year since Yadav took charge of the railway ministry in 2004, but opposition leaders like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar continue to question why those profits haven't reached the common man.

Between April 1 and January 31(2008-09), the Railways earned Rs.57, 282 crore compared to Rs.50,765 crore during the same period in 2007-08, registering an increase of 12.84 per cent.

The total revenue is expected to cross Rs.70, 000 crore this fiscal.

Last year, the Railways' earned profits of nearly 20,000 crore.

During Yadav's tenure, 604 new trains and 105 local trains have been introduced so far. Extra coaches were added to over 2640 trains, 657 trains were made super fast and a universal common train inquiry number 139 was also introduced. (ANI)