Lalu may unfold pro-people budget in election year

Having managed to keep passengers fares in check for the last five years, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad is expected to announce more sops for train travellers when he presents the interim railway budget in Parliament tomorrow.

Prasad, who desisted from carrying out any upward hike in the passenger fares despite increase in global prices of crude oil in the past five years of UPA rule, may this time announce some pro-people schemes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Though it is a vote-on-account exercise, sources in the ministry said Lalu is keen to share the benefits of the reduction in oil prices with passengers.

Speculation is rife that Lalu might slash passengers fares in certain sector while seeking budgetary grant for the April-July period.

Despite the global meltdown, railways have carried 74.55 million tonnes (MT) of freight during January this year which is 2.9 per cent more than the same period last year.

Railways have recorded an annual growth of 14 per cent in overall traffic earnings during the UPA regime.

Besides highlighting Ministry's achievements in the last five years, the interim budget is likely to have proposals for introduction of more trains including Garib Raths.