SME TImes News Bureau | 04 Jul, 2009
Praising Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee's budget on Friday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said she had done a "very competent job" and had not just ensured that there was no burden on the passengers but also taken care of their safety.

Banerjee had done a "very competent job in a short period of time. She has presented a budget without imposing any burden by way of increase in freight charges or passenger fare", the prime minister said.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said the railways minister had, in keeping with the Congress' election promise, worked on bettering passenger amenities, besides improving the safety and security of the railways.

Manmohan Singh said Banerjee had focused on "making rail travel a desirable experience". To ensure this, she had outlined a programme of modernising 50 railway stations to world class standards, he added.

"A large number of facilities have been included by way of using the innovative financing mechanism of public private partnerships to improve the productivity of the railways and to finance more investment," the prime minister said, complimenting the minister.