Pawan Kumar Bansal presents commendable Rail Budget

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal arrives at the Parliament before presenting Rail Budget 2013-14 in New Delhi on February 26, 2013.

Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal carries his budget speech as he walks towards Parliament to present the Union Railway Budget 2013-14 in New Delhi on Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

Railway Minister Pawan Bansal announced the Union Railway Budget for 2013-14 in Parliament on Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

Rail Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has set aside Rs 1200 crore for amenities and increased allocation for safety measures by 12.5 per cent for 2013-14.

The Railway Budget for 2013-14 on February 26, 2013 spared passengers from any further hike in fares but raised various other charges on tickets along with freight tariff of less than 5 per cent.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his colleagues in the UPA government praised Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's first railway budget, calling it a 'commendable' work.

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's railway budget is a first by any Congress leader in 17 years, and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) praised his innovations in critical areas of Railway Infrastructure and for paving the way for capacity expansion.

Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav outside Parliament where he attended the Budget Session in New Delhi on February 26, 2013.

In the rail budget, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal proposed the introduction of 67 new express trains and 26 new passenger trains.

SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav arrives for the Budget Session in Parliament in New Delhi on February 26, 2013.