Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Rail Budget 2015, to be presented later on Thursday, will signal the direction of long-term reforms needed to revamp the world`s fourth-largest rail network, minister Suresh Prabhu said.
"The budget will set the direction of long and difficult road of reform," Prabhu said ahead of his budget presentation.
"We have tried our best to fulfil people's aspirations and expectation (in the budget) despite the fact that railways is passing through hard times," Prabhu said.
There were demands for new trains, rail lines and projects from various section of the society including MPs and state governments.
He further said attempts are being made in the budget to meet the expectations of the people as much as possible.
Prabhu had maintained earlier that before increasing the fares, there should be improvement in passenger amenities.
India`s decrepit state-run train services stand to receive at least a 25 percent boost in investment to over USD 9 billion, funded solely by falling fuel costs, according to officials familiar with the railway budget.
With agency inputs
