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Secondly, there is no mention of any new train. No new train was announced, only to maintain the disparity initiated in the previous Budget which was presented earlier to this one. What requires is rationalisation  in the announcement of new trains. Last year, new trains were announced to make the Budget populist and this time, there is no new train. So, this clearly reflected that there is lack of rationalisation on the part of the Railway Ministry.

          Thirdly, I would like to say that there is ambition without any specification. Though many tall promises are made, yet it is not clear where the resources would come from. Fare hike cannot be the sole source of revenue for the Railways. There is statistics but no deadline and blue-print of the promises to be fulfilled. The Railways need  to be more imaginative in finding solution to its problems and attracting investment. The nation-wide network needs to be fully exploited and for this what is needed is out-of-the-box thinking. Privatisation or fare hike is not a solution.

*SHRI  V.  ELUMALAI ( ARANI):   While  discussing  the Demands for Grants  for the Ministry of Railways, let me point out to the record investment  plan of over Rs. 1 lac. Crore in 2015-16. With a long  term plan, this Ministry has evolved  scheme of things to happen in the future.

          I recall that this year's budget  mentions  about the increasing  of the speed of passenger trains which may help us to go for optimum utilisation  and introduction of more  trains.  At the  same time, I must  point out the non-introduction of any new train this year.

          As everybody knows, Railways is India's  lifeline  and at present it constitutes  one of the largest networks  in the world after the US, Russia, Canada and China. Yet  for the last many years, the Railways service networks in the country were in dire needs of reforms and revamps. There  were  many instance of  mismanagement  of Railways perpetuated  by previous  Governments, and mainly  UPA Governments of last 10 years. Several budgetary announcements were made pertaining  to laying  new lines,  new trains and new railways related companies were  established  in the past, even though  the fact is that the Resources generated  at that  point  of time are not adequately helpful to fulfill those announcements. Announcements   were  made then just for the populism and  vote banks. This resulted  the ruining of Bharatiya Rail's economy.

During the budget speech given by the hon. Minister, it was promised in the House that new trains would be announced after consulting the MPs of every State. But no action has been taken by the Government till this date.

Sir, I request that the frequency of the Sampark Kranti and Rajdhani Express must be increased for two days. People from Kerala have been working in almost all the States. So, the new train has to be started from Bengaluru, Mumbai and Kolkata. We have been asking for a tourist train from Kanyakumari to Goa. It covers about four States. I appreciate the decision taken by the Government to start a passenger train from Bandiyur to Kasaragod. But we have been requesting to extend the train to Kannur or Guruvayoor. Otherwise it would not be feasible. That is really the issue now.