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MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri Prabhash Chandra, you can continue after 6 O'clock, now P.M.B. has started.

[English] SHRI BALRAM JAKHAR (BIKANER): When Rail­way Minister presented the Budget       (Interruptions)

[English}     ' MR. CHAIRMAN :   Let us hear Shri Balram Jakhar. (Interruptions)

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND PRO­GRAMME IMPLEMENTATION (SHRI RAM NAIK) : Sir, the train started in time! SHRI BALRAM JAKHAR (BIKANER) : Yes. I want the trains to be in time! [Translation]     Three things are very important for the develop­ment ot a country.... (Interruptions) One is transport, second is communication and the third one is energy. With the help of these three, the development of a country takes place. In absence of transport, it is difficult for the people and goods also to reach different parts o1 the country. Someone had rightly said that railway tracks and roads are the wheels on which the progress of a country moves. Same is the case of communication also. Telephone plays a major role in trade and business. While sitting at home, you can talk to anyone at any place. This is a mode to connect the whole world. Similarly, no pumpset or factory can run without energy. So, all the three things are the founda­tion of progress. Among them, railways has a major role to play because it is an old means of transporta­tion and is cheaper also. Acommon man cannot buy a motor car, therefore, he travels in trains. I myself have seen it. I used to go by a train when I was in third class. It was the means of our movement from one place to another. Since then, a lot of progress has been made in railways. It is good but I would like to progress more. For this purpose, more funds should be allocated in this year's Budget. The need of the hour is that people should have faith and a sense of security towards  this facility.  Security  itself generates faith. India occupies first place in the matter of rail accidents. Therefore, I would like the Government to provide maximum safety to the passengers travelling in trains so that their confidence is restored in Railways.

SHRI RAM NAIK : Please don't say like that. Today itself, while replying in the Rajya Sabha, I said that this was a very good suggestion and it will be implemented.

SHRI CHINMAYANAND SWAMI : Thank you, I was trying to point it out only because the reply will be given right now. We must change this system, it will be beneficial. It is good that unemployed youth are being given the facility of travelling free of cost in case they are appearing for an interview. An unemployed person is an unwanted fellow in his own house and at times he is hungry and thirsty also. It becomes difficult for him to arrange the train fare. Our Railway Minister is an experienced man and he has lived amongst such peo­ple. He is aware of the hardships faced by them. 1 would like to thank him and pray for his well-being on behalf of all the unemployed people. The unemployed have been given the facility of travelling free of cost upon producing their call-letters. This is not just an­other ordinary programme, rather, it is a pious deed. This is a gesture of goodwill towards the impoverished. It should not be viewed as any other routine pro­gramme. It indicates that we are concerned about such persons also who have no support system. Several times, I have had such experience also that the ticket is bought at a particular station and if one decides to suspend the journey of the train is cancelled, one has to go back to the same station to" return the ticket where it was purchased. This involved an additional expenditure of buying yet another ticket. One had to spend as much on ticket money as was expected as refund and only then he would get the refund. We are thankful to you that now we can get the refund from the station where we return the ticket. This denotes an understanding of the problems. It is only an indication, not a full fledged programme as yet. It shows that the government is aware of the problems and the Minister of Railways has been kind enough to understand such a problem.

Mr. Chairman, Sir, when one reaches Manasi or Khagaria in the morning, there is no connecting train to travel upto Forbesganj, Katihar and Saharasa. You can well imagine our plight, hence this point should be considered seriously. Hon'ble Minister has surely done us a favour also, for which I thank him, though not whole hearted Iy because from Manasi to Saharasa ...(Interruptions)

SHRI RAM NAIK : You are an elderly person, hence you should do it whole-heartedly.

SHRl ANUP LAL YADAV : I have requested that the laying of broad gauge line from Manasi to Saharasa be completed in a time bound manner. Some experts having very good knowledge of Railways visited our area. I asked them to consult the budget proposal. He was an expert. Now we don't read it ourselves and ask others to note it down. He said that there was no provision for our area in the budget. I have requested Nitish Ji to pay attention towards North Bihar also. He has travelled by that train himself and he might be well aware of the condition of that train. If one happens to use the toilet in that train, he won't be able to came out dry because water keeps on dripping from the roof. At times, A.C. coach is attached to the trains running from Danapur to Katihar and Patna to Katihar but the condi­tion of the coach is so bad that one prefers to travel in second class or three tier coach instead of that coach. Hence I request Hon'ble Minister to pay attention to it. Besides, I would like to emphasise that the route from Manasi to Saharasa should be covered in time-bound manner. Otherwise you'll say "after four-five years that it will be completed soon but that may take too long. This distance is not more than 50-60 kilometers which is not much. It is an old railway line and now it is being converted into broad gauge line. I would also like to request you to take up the conversion of Saharasa-Forbesganj and Saharasa-Madhepura-Katihar line into broad gauge line. It won't take much time. A survey should be conducted in this regard. We had also re­quested for getting a survey conducted. I don't know if he has received my letter or not. As I said that Nirmali is a station and you also know that it is a sub-division. It is a part of Supaul-Saharasa. At least, a survey should be got conducted to connect Nirmali station with Bhavtihai covering a distance of mere 15 kms. I would like to inform the Hon'ble M\ri\X$Xer...(interruptions)Some officials from the Department visited Nirmali station for  the survey, it would have been better if Hon'ble Mem- ber, Shri Ram Viias Paswan had been present here. However he is not present. He made an announce­ment...( Interruptions)

SHRI RAM NAIK : First, we were told that House will be adourned, by 8 p.m. but, now on Monday, we have to sit for whole night.

SHRI NITISH KUMAR : No, not for whole night, but upto late hours.

SHR! RAM NAIK : On that day, the House is going to sit for whole night, that you will see.

MR. CHAIRMAN : Don't worry, when all the mem­bers insist on speaking, then you will have to agree.

SHRI NITISH KUMAR : Sir, if the House sits for whole night, then I would be allowed to reply the night iteself.