<p>"People all over the country have high expectations from the railway budget," Banerjee told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, switching between English and Hindi. <br /><br />She started with a question if Indian Railways, which runs the world's second largest railroad network under single management, should function purely on the basis of economic viability or address the social commitment. <br /><br />"Time has come when our economic and social philosophers have to change their old mindset of economic viability and replace it with social viability and upliftment," she said. <br /><br />Banerjee said her focus would be on better passenger amenities, good food at affordable prices, clean toilets at stations and trains. <br /><br />"Fifty stations will be developed into world class facilities," she said naming those at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Varanasi Guwahati, Chennai, Mangalore, Porbundar and Kochi, among others. <br /><br />This is her first rail budget for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and third in her political career. <br /></p>
<p>"People all over the country have high expectations from the railway budget," Banerjee told the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, switching between English and Hindi. <br /><br />She started with a question if Indian Railways, which runs the world's second largest railroad network under single management, should function purely on the basis of economic viability or address the social commitment. <br /><br />"Time has come when our economic and social philosophers have to change their old mindset of economic viability and replace it with social viability and upliftment," she said. <br /><br />Banerjee said her focus would be on better passenger amenities, good food at affordable prices, clean toilets at stations and trains. <br /><br />"Fifty stations will be developed into world class facilities," she said naming those at Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Varanasi Guwahati, Chennai, Mangalore, Porbundar and Kochi, among others. <br /><br />This is her first rail budget for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and third in her political career. <br /></p>
