New Delhi, February 24: When Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee rises in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to present her second budget in the UPA II Government, she is expected to present a populist budget – with no fare hike – to reach out to the aam aadmi, hand over goodies to her home state to garner votes in the Assembly elections to be held next year and rain policies to woo India Inc for the much-needed hard cash.
Passengers’ fares are unlikely to be touched for the seventh time in a row. According to Railway Bhavan sources, the Budget is expected to offer similar goodies to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to leverage the Congress during the Assembly polls in these two states in less than a year.
More goodies for the state include a proposal for an EMU coach factory at Kanchrapara and establish a new woman battalion under the Railway Protection Force station in Asanson in West Bengal.
Mamata is all set to announce partnership with Kendriya Vidyalaya to set up schools across the country and 24-hour helplines for railway passengers in distress. She is also expected to announce expediting project works of upcoming locomotive and coach manufacturing units in UP and Bihar.
–Agencies–