It will be 'basket of comforts': Lalu

Promising yet another people-friendly budget for 2008-09, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Friday said it would be a "basket of comforts" for the general public.

"The Indian Railway is passing through its best phase in terms of development and the budget for the next financial year would be a basket of comforts for the common passengers," Lalu said, while addressing a function at the railway station in Chapra, Bihar, in his parliamentary constituency.

Lalu was in Chapra for the arrival of the Life Line express, launched jointly by the railways and Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. He thanked Congress President and Chairperson of the Foundation, Sonia Gandhi for sending the train to his constituency.

The Railway Minister said the Life Line Express was playing a very positive role in reaching high quality medical treatment to the poor free of cost in different states. The train would stay at Chapra till March 3 and the doctors would conduct various pathological tests, offer medical advice and even perform surgical procedures.

Union Ministers Premchand Gupta, Jaiprakash Narain Yadav, Chief Project Officer of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Shahnaz Akhtar and Eastern Railway General Manager Sukhbir Singh were also present.