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"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.

"It will be a pro-people budget. A simple budget - people's budget."

Indian Railways runs the world's second largest railroad network under a single management, ferrying some 14 million passengers on 7,000 trains daily.

PREVIOUSLY:

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Amidst much speculation and expectations, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday gave final touches to the rail budget, to be presented in parliament Friday.

Shifting from the claims of high surplus by her predecessor Lalu Prasad, Banerjee has maintained from the day she assumed charge that her focus would be on improving passenger amenities and rationalisation of services such as Tatkal (instant ticketing) service.

And though she has refused to shed any light on the nature of the budget, it is expected to be pro-people without any hike in fares, new trains, rehauling of the Tatkal scheme and speeding up of the freight corridor project.

"I am not against the commercialisation of the railways but it must be with a human face," Banerjee has said.

If the budget is overly pro-people, it is going to be a tightrope walk for Banerjee as she also has to maintain revenue growth amidst the burden of slowdown, declining freight earnings and the burden of the higher salary outgo following the Six Pay Commission recommendations.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:
- No increase in passenger, freight fares

- Rs.1,102 crore allocated towards improving passenger amenities

- Kolkata metro to be extended

- Rs.50 billion increase in budgetary support in 2009-10

- Freight target for 2009-10 set at 882 million tonnes

- Target set in interim budget unrealistic

- Freight cargo increased 5 percent in 2008-09

- One doctor to be posted on each long distance train

- Rs.25 monthly pass for unorganised sector employees with income below Rs.1,500 for travel up to 100 km

- New "Yuva" fully air-conditioned train for youth

- Yuva fares Rs.299 up to a distance of 1,500 km and Rs.399 up to 2,500 km

- Student concession to be extended to madarssa students

- Student concession of 60 percent on Kolkata Metro

- Introduction of trains for women during peak seasons

- 12 non-stop trains

- New train information system to be started in Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi

- 50 mobile rail ticket vans to be introduced

- ATMs on 200 mid and small-sized stations

- Integrated security scheme for 140 vulnerable stations

- Setting up of a 1,000 MW power plant

- Special recruitment drive for the physically challenged, minorities

- Committee under Sam Pitroda to commercialise railways' optic fibre network

- Private operation of freight terminals to be encouraged

- New factory in West Bengal for making 500 state-of-the-art coaches annually

- "Janta khana" (peoples' food) to be provided at railway stations

- Railways will not be guided by economic viability, but by social commitment

- Seven nursing colleges to provide employment to railway spouses

- Medical colleges proposed to be opened through public-private partnership model

- Cold storages and cargo facilities to eliminate wastage of perishables

- 50 world class stations to be developed on public-private partnership model

- 309 out of 375 stations will be developed with modern facilities

- 50 stations at tourist, religious places to have integrated facilities

- Infotainment facilities on Rajdhani Express for long distance passengers

- Unreserved ticketing systems to be expanded from 5,000 to 8,000 terminals

- Passengers can buy unreserved tickets at 5,000 post offices

- Air-conditioned double-decker trains for inter-city travel

- SMS updates for wait-listed passengers

- 200 automatic vending machines at key stations for selling tickets

- Discount for press correspondents increased from 30 to 50 percent

- Discount of 60 percent on fare if press correspondents travel with spouse