Observing that the Railways made a profit of Rs 20,000 crore last year despite a cut in the fares, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad assured that the next Railway budget would also be an ‘aam janta’ (common man) budget.
“I cannot say much about the budget since Parliament is in session now, but I assure you that it will be an aam janta budget,” he said while speaking at a programme after inaugurating electrification of the Krishnanagar-Lalgola section of the Eastern Railway.
Prasad said that despite reduction in passenger fares, the Railways earned a profit of Rs 20,000 crore last year by increasing volume of its business.
Stating that globalisation has opened up opportunities for increasing business, he said that the Railways could play a vital role in this regard.
Prasad said that Rs 25,000 crore has been allocated for laying a freight corridor which would help increase business. The freight corridor, he said, was required to increase the speed as the existing railway lines were saturated.