Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday lauded the Railway Budget, stating it reflected the Government's vision of modernisation of the rail network without taxing the common man.
"We will modernise the Railways without unduly burdening the common man," Manmohan Singh told reporters outside Parliament after Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav unveiled the Railway Budget proposals for the fiscal 2005-06, keeping passenger fares intact.
Asked about the deficit due to the non-increase in fares for three years, Manmohan Singh responded: "Rail efficiency and operation ratio are moving in the desired direction. All this has been done without imposing unnecessary burden on the people."
The Prime Minister pointed to the slew of new trains announced by the minister.
"You will notice that we are expanding the network in Jammu and Kashmir and in the northeastern states. They will be treated as national projects for their speedy implementation."
On the Opposition's boycott of Lalu Prasad on account of their protests against "tainted ministers" who have criminal cases against them, Manmohan Singh said: "We are not afraid of a debate on this."
The Opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Leader of Opposition LK Advani, had walked out of the Lok Sabha after demanding that Lalu Prasad be not allowed to present the Railway Budget before there was a debate in the house on "tainted ministers".