The previous NDA government brought inability and poor performance to the Railways, and even failed to pay dividends amounting to Rs 2473 crore, according to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in a debate on the Railway Budget 2008-09, which was passed by the Lok Sabha.

He said the Railways will have a surplus of Rs 1,00,000 crore by next year when the UPA completes its term. It has already generated a surplus of Rs 69,000 crore in four years.

“We are not dependent on the Finance Ministry for money as we have our own resources,” Prasad said at the end of a long debate. He said the Indian Railways ranks third in good service in the world, and will be on the top soon.

He also said availability of resources for the Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) was no more an issue, and work on the project will begin quickly. “Irrespective of funding from foreign institutions, Railways has decided to go ahead with the East and West DFCs,” he said.

He said the condition of the Railways in the previous regime was so poor that jobs were cut by 10 per cent. “Accidents had increased then and there was a fear of the Railways being privatised,” he added.