'Expect a good budget'

People can expect a "good" railway budget as the interests of all sections of customers as well as safety and security issues were kept in mind while preparing it, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said today.

Interacting with reporters here after the customary photo-session before the rail budget's presentation tomorrow, Prasad said, "I will not say anything whether the passenger and freight fares are going to be increased. We have kept the interests of the common man (in mind) in the earlier budget too."

The interests of "all sections and safety and security issues were kept in mind while preparing the budget," he added.

"I have tried to address the interests of all sections of people. But if there are any shortcomings, people should tell me, I will try to remove them in future," he said.

Asked whether freight charges would be reduced in view of the growing prices of essential commodities, Prasad said, "The government has already taken steps in this regard. Wait till tomorrow to see what we are going to do."

Prasad noted that the people have lots of expectations from the railway budget as trains carry millions of passengers and essential commodities like minerals, cement, steel, and fertilizers from one corner of the country to another.

Referring to the Samjhauta Express blasts a week ago that killed 68 people, Prasad said the government will take all steps to provide safety and security to the train to Pakistan.

He also clarified why he did not take a call from his Pakistani counterpart in the wake of the blasts, and said he was in a plane enroute from Patna to Panipat at the time. "There was no motive to ignore him," he said.

He dismissed the BJP's threat to boycott the railway budget's presentation on the Ottavio Quattrocchi issue and said they had been crying "Bofors, Bofors always."

"Even (former prime minister) V P Singh had said that he was having the account number of the beneficiary (of the Bofors kickbacks)...What has happened?" he asked.