No new schemes for north-east region in Rail Budget, Tripura Left Front Government unhappy

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The ruling Congress said Monday the budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was progressive, but the opposition parties termed it as "routine and inconsequential. "Budget 2009 is progressive, inclusive, growth oriented and balanced.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday taunted the Left for calling her rail budget a "manifesto" for the West Bengal assembly polls of 2011, retorting "why not in 2009"? "You asked me a political question and I gave you a political answer," she told reporters after presenting the rail budget. Asked about Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Basudeb Acharya's comment that the rail budget she presented in parliament was a "manifesto for the 2011 elections in West Bengal", Banerjee said she was ready to face elections this very year.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in parliament house Friday morning to present her ministry's budget for this fiscal, promising to address the demands of the average passenger. "My budget will be of the people, by the people and for the people," Banerjee told reporters before leaving for parliament house to present the railway budget in Lok Sabha, the lower house.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - It has been dubbed a populist budget by critics but the rail budget presented Friday by Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee has enough goodies targeted at the ordinary rail traveller: - No increase in fares - New 'izzat' scheme for poor to travel up to 100 km for Rs.25 - Low-cost, air-conditioned 'yuva trains' for youth at Rs.299-Rs.399 - New scheme for good quality food at affordable prices - Special Trains to ferry perishable farm produce, rural craft - Promise of clean toilets, potable water at stations, trains - Tatkal scheme made more passenger-friendly, service charge cut to Rs.100 - New scheme for poor passengers to travel with 'dignity' - A doctor at your service in every long-distance train - 50 stations to be upgraded into world class facilities - 12 new non-stop trains between key stations

July 3rd, 2009 SHIMLA - Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Friday said that it was not fair on the part of the central government to ignore the interests of the people of the hill state in the railway budget. "It's unfortunate on the part of the central government to ignore the interests of the hill state in the railway budget," he said in an official statement.

July 3rd, 2009 KOLKATA - Trinamool Congress chief and Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday lost no opportunity to needle West Bengal's ruling Left Front when she proposed a new rail line from Singur to Nandigram and sops for Lalgarh - areas in the state that have witnessed violent anti-Left agitations. Exhibiting shrewd political sense in her wide array of proposals for West Bengal in the 2009-10 rail budget, arguably the highest sops the state has got since independence, Banerjee Friday let go no opportunity to woo her votebank with an eye to the 2011 state polls.

July 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Left parties were divided in their reaction to the railway budget unveiled by their bete noire Mamata Banerjee here Friday, with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) welcoming parts of it and the Communist Party of India (CPI) slamming it. The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called the budget impractical.

February 16th, 2009 AGARTALA - Terming the interim budget of the central government a 'poll lollipop', the Left Front government in Tripura Tuesday said it largely neglected the northeastern region. The budget is 'a political agenda ahead of the general elections and no programme to deal with the crucial economic issues of the northeastern region in view of the slowdown', Tripura Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury told reporters.

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The ruling Congress party Friday hailed the interim rail budget presented by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad as 'developmental' and 'pro-people' while the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it was meant to lure voters in the upcoming general elections. 'We welcome the rail budget.

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with the Samajwadi Party criticised the railway budget Friday, saying it was presented with an eye to the elections, but the ruling Congress insisted it was a developmental and pro-people package. The BJP said the budget was unrealistic.

February 12th, 2009 KOLKATA - The interim railway budget presented by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad in the Lok Sabha Friday could not match the expectations of the business community here, which is reeling under the impact of global economic slowdown. 'Though there are many positive proposals, there was no reduction in trade rates, which could have helped industry and trade in times of economic recession,' Sanjay Budhia, president of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told IANS.

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister for Railways Lalu Prasad is set to present to parliament the country's interim rail budget for the next fiscal Friday, with an assurance that he will not ignore people's welfare and that average citizens will be spared a fare hike. 'We cannot make many new programmes in this budget, but be assured the welfare of common people will be taken care of.

February 12th, 2009 RAIPUR - The interim railway budget presented Friday by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad has let down expectations of Chhattisgarh despite the fact that the state generates high revenue for the railways, Chief minister Raman Singh said here. 'The interim rail budget is disappointing, it has let down expectations of millions of people of Chhattisgarh,' said Singh in his reaction to the interim budget.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Lalu Prasad is set to present the country's interim rail budget for the next fiscal in parliament Friday, with an expectation that he would once again spare the average citizen from fare hikes and introduce some new trains. The minister had presented all the five previous rail budgets for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government since 2004, during which he set a record of sorts in terms of generating revenues despite lowering fares.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Lalu Prasad is set to present to parliament the country's interim rail budget for the next fiscal Friday, and has said he will not ignore people's welfare - thus raising expectations that the average citizen would be spared fare hikes. 'We cannot make many new programmes in this budget, but be assured the welfare of common people will be taken care of,' Lalu Prasad told reporters Thursday.