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| India to unveil new railway budget | India to unveil new railway budget |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| India's new government is expected to recommend a bigger private sector role in modernising the country's ailing railways, in its first railway budget. | India's new government is expected to recommend a bigger private sector role in modernising the country's ailing railways, in its first railway budget. |
| Last month, the government raised passenger fares because it said the network was facing a loss. | Last month, the government raised passenger fares because it said the network was facing a loss. |
| The state-run railway runs more than 12,000 trains, carrying some 23 million passengers daily. It remains the preferred transport for most Indians. | |
| It is also one of the world's largest employers, with 1.3 million workers. | It is also one of the world's largest employers, with 1.3 million workers. |
| Prime Minister Narendra Modi said last week that he hoped for more private sector money. | Prime Minister Narendra Modi said last week that he hoped for more private sector money. |
| "We want the railway stations to have better facilities than airports. This is our dream," said Mr Modi. | "We want the railway stations to have better facilities than airports. This is our dream," said Mr Modi. |
| He promised "change in the near future" and said "private parties would also be ready to invest because this is a good project economically and will benefit everyone". | He promised "change in the near future" and said "private parties would also be ready to invest because this is a good project economically and will benefit everyone". |
| Correspondents say that after decades of neglect, India's busy railway network is in a shambles. | Correspondents say that after decades of neglect, India's busy railway network is in a shambles. |
| Last month the government announced a 14.2% increase in passenger fares and a 6.5% raise in freight rates to improve facilities and recover losses. | Last month the government announced a 14.2% increase in passenger fares and a 6.5% raise in freight rates to improve facilities and recover losses. |
| But there was a partial rollback on some increases on shorter trips following protests, even though Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government had "taken a difficult but a correct decision". | But there was a partial rollback on some increases on shorter trips following protests, even though Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government had "taken a difficult but a correct decision". |