Lalu budgets for polls | Highlights | Speech | Images

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Friday announced many populist measures on Friday while presenting the Interim Railway Budget for 2009-10 in Parliament.

RAILWAYS BUDGET 2009

* Lalu invokes PM, Sonia's leadership
* New Delhi-Ahmedabad Rajdhani becomes daily from 6 days a week
* Kolkata Metro will be expanded
* Lalu gives 2 per cent cut in 1AC, 2AC & 3AC and AC chaircar fares
* Eye on polls, Lalu announces 43 new trains
* Bhubaneshwar-New Dlehi Rajdhani becomes four days a week
* Mumbai-Bikaner superfast bi-weekly
* Nizamuddin-Bangalore Rajdhani tri-weekly
* Feasibility study on for bullet trains
* 5 lakh people use rail Internet facility
* Ludhiana-Kolkata freight corridor functional later this month
* Started work on Delhi-Mumbai freight corridor
* Railways to invest Rs 35,900 cr in '09
* Rs 10,500 cr kept aside to meet pension requirements
* Implementation of 6th Pay Commission to hike expense by Rs 13,500cr
* There has been a steep fall in container traffic
* Passenger growth up 14 per cent
* Passenger trains to have 22 per cent more capacity
* To hike efficiency of passenger and goods wagons
* Goods trains to have 78 per cent more capacity
* Steps to have railway connectivity to Kashmir initiated
* Rail accidents have fallen from 325 to 194 in past 5 yrs
* Railways to invest Rs 2.3 lakh cr over next 5 years
* Accidents have declined considerably
* Electrification of 1000 Km of rail lines completed in '08-'09
* Wagon production to be hiked from 6600 to 15000 per year
* Four Railway enquiry call centres set up
* Railways' turnaround made far different from that done by private cos
* 8 pc freight growth in past 5 years
* Railways in Nov '08 got 10 cr dollar loan at 4%
* Railways has earned profit of Rs 90,000 Cr
* Recorded profits without hurting people
* Lalu presents expenditure estimates for the first four months of FY09
* Railways scaled new heights: Lalu
* Lalu Prasad begins his speech
* Lalu Prasad arrives in Parliament
* This is Lalu's sixth Railway Budget
* Railways reported Rs 25,000 cr cash surplus last year
* Revenues have risen by 39 paise a tonne/km since 2001
* Costs have fallen by 7 paise a tonne/km since 2001

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Pandher, Koli get death; Nithari celebrates

Ghaziabad: Businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Surendra Koli were on Friday awarded the death sentence for the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl--the first punishment in the gruesome murders of 19 children and young women from Nithari village near Noida city in Uttar Pradesh.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court ruled that the rape and murder of Rimpa Halder was the “rarest of rare” crime and deserved capital punishment.

Of the 19 cases of abduction, rape and murder, the CBI has filed charge-sheets in 16 cases. All the cases are being heard separately. Koli, 38, has been charged with rape, abduction and murder in all the cases and Pandher, 55, is co-accused in six cases.

The courtroom, packed with relatives of the victims who were raped, murdered and some eaten, fell into silence as judge Rama Jain pronounced her sentence.

"No more penalty could be awarded to the accused persons otherwise. They deserve more punishment as their act of murder and rape in this particular case was beyond all the canons of humanity," the judge said.

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Pray that I bring home the Oscar: AR Rahman

Road to Oscars - 9 days to go

It's just nine days to go for the Academy Awards. AR Rahman seems to be inching closer and closer to grasp the coveted trophy in his cusp hands.

He returned to Chennai after receiving the BAFTA award in London for his musical score in the film 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

When asked about the award, Rahman said, "The Golden Globe was from the United States and the BAFTA was from the United Kingdom. Both are equally prestigious awards and I am honored to be a recipient."

Queried on the possibility of receiving the Oscar Award, Rahman said, "I do not have any expectations, but if it comes it will be a moment to cherish."

Looking back at events and honors that came his way, Rahman looks certain to win the award.

Interestingly, Rahman, who started his career introduced by director Mani Ratnam, also owes it to veteran director K Balachander. Rahman's maiden venture 'Roja' was produced by Balachander. Similarly, Rahman was chosen to do music for the Rajini starrer 'Muthu', which again was produced by Kavithalaya.

Listen to 'Muthu' songs on raaga.com Now….

He followed it up with more successful ventures with 'Duet' and 'Parthalae Paravasam', both directed by K Balachander. The songs especially in 'Duet' went on to become a chartbuster and broke records. The slick use of saxophone by Rahman brought repute to the instrument. Especially, the song Anjali...Anjali...still lingers in our heart and mind.

Listen to 'Duet' songs on raaga.com Now….

Veteran director K Balanchandar said, "Rahman is destined to get many awards. He is a bundle of talent. I still remember the fire in his eyes, when I saw him first during the composition for 'Roja'. He is phenomenal and is sure to go places."

CLICK HERE FOR THE EXCLUSIVE OSCAR PAGE

Watch A.R. Rahman Shares His Glorious Moments

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Divya's naya Avatar!!

There has been so much hype about 'Delhi 6' but Divya Dutta's look in the film has been mysteriously kept under wraps except for the fleeting glimpse in the movie promos!

Apparently the versatile actress is all set to surprise the audiences by flaunting an absolutely new look in the film.

Divya essays a very pivotal role in 'Delhi 6' and has donned a daring new gypsy look with tattoos all over her neck and arms in her latest venture! The pretty actress looks four shades darker than her normal fair and glam self. We hear that Divya used to get the first 'call time' since it used to take 4 hours to complete her make-up!!

"Yes it took us one and a half hours to get to location and 4 hrs for my make-up; it was exhausting but I loved the end result. All the effort was worth it. It is very different and nothing looked like this before" laughs the actress.

We hear that insiders who have seen the film can't sop raving about Divya's performance. All her co-stars, team and Rakyesh the director of 'Delhi 6' are thoroughly impressed with the lady. The image makeover from a bubbly, chirpy girl to a typical Indian Gypsy is very evident. But then she does have a knack to impress us with her perfomances!

Well, all we've gotta do is wait and watch! Come back for more as we bring you the latest on Bollywood!

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'Billu' faces trouble!

The Irrfan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Lara Dutta starrer 'Billu' has released today and is receiving good reviews from all quarters. But the film is facing another kind of trouble. In the wake of King Khan's home in the Mumbai suburbs being attacked, here comes another.

Some miscreants attacked a theater where 'Billu' was being screened and broke chairs. Though no one was hurt during the incident people are a little worried. King Khan who spoke to a private news channel a little while ago has said he is really worried by the attacks. He also said he was worried for the people who were going to the theatres to watch the film.

The actor also appealed to the miscreants to do good to the country rather than act in haste. The actor is at the moment out of the country for some medical check-up as well as to promote his film 'Billu'. He will be back in the country in a couple of days to undergo a surgery.

Dear Mr. Khan we love what you have done for Bollywood for the last couple of decades and are with you during turbulent times. We also wish you good luck for your 'Billu' to do well at the box office as well as a speedy recovery from your surgery.

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'Yuvvraaj' finds its way to the Oscar Library

Subhash Ghai's film 'Yuvvraaj' Starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead has found a place in the Oscar Library.

Subhash Ghai's 'Yuvvraaj' has just garnered the most prestigious honour from the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for including 'Yuvvraaj' as a part of the Oscar Library. The script will be part of the core collection which is made available for film makers, writers, actors and students worldwide for their research work.

The merits of this selection are not based on box-office performance of the film but mainly on the artistic merits, original screenplay with a substance and the film as a whole.

"Of course the selection of the script of 'Yuvvraaj ' came as a surprise to me but surely an honour which no one can deny. Let's say it is my consolation prize of my hard work." said a smiling Subhash Ghai

The screenplay of 'Yuvvraaj' has been jointly written by Subhash Ghai, Kamlesh Pandey and Sachin Bhowmick, with the story & dialogue by Subhash Ghai with actors Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Zayed Khan. The music was composed by A.R Rahman while lyrics were penned by Gulzar.

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Aish in one more period flick?

Rumors always surround the rich and the affluent, especially in Bollywood. Aish happens to be one prominent figure on whom many rumors are spun. A couple of weeks back the rumor mongers were buzzing busily suggesting the Bachchan bahu would soon be joining politics that had Aish strictly refuting from New York.

The rumor bells are chiming this time around suggesting that Aish will soon be essaying the role of 'Jhansi Ki Rani' in a flick to be directed by Ketan Mehta. Aish who did a wonderful job as Jodhaa Bhai in 'Jodha Akbar' is sure to carry off any role effortlessly on her shoulders. She would unbeatably be the best choice for any director in Bollywood to enact in a classic film because of her oh-so-good looking personality and temperament.

Though the director has not approached Aish, he has suggested that she will be his first choice for the role, say insiders. The lead lady of Bollywood is at the moment busy shooting for Shankar's 'Eiyandiran', a sci-fi thriller where she acts opposite Rajinikanth. She is also simultaneously shooting for Mani Rathnam's 'Ravan' where she will be seen sharing screen space with hubby Abhi.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EXCLUSIVE OSCAR PAGE

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18 coaches of Coromandel Express derail in Orissa, 15 dead

BHUBANESWAR: Within hours of railway minister Lalu Prasad gloating over his safety record during his budget speech in Parliament, one of the ountry's flagship expresses derailed from its tracks on Friday, leaving at least 15 passengers dead and about 60 injured, many of them critically.

Reports from the railways said 18 coaches of the Coromandel Express derailed at 7.50pm near Jajpur Road in Orissa, 120 km north of Bhubaneswar. Three of the coaches were totally crushed. The train had left Howrah station on Friday afternoon and was to reach Chennai on Saturday evening.

"We have 15 people dead," the spokesman for eastern railways, Murlidhar Sahoo, told AFP.

The number of dead could go up steeply, officials feared, because many passengers were still trapped in the overturned coaches. Rescue operations were hampered because of darkness.

The train was travelling at a very high speed. Lalu Prasad said a probe will be ordered into the accident.

”Suddenly there was a lurch and a screeching sound, as if brakes had been applied. The whole train shook violently from side-to-side and we were thrown off our berths,'' said Rajendra Singh, a passenger in S-5 coach, who survived without any injury. ``There was a tumbling sensation as everything seemed to be turning upside down. We were terrified. After what seemed to be a long time, the rolling and screeching stopped,'' he said from the accident spot on phone. He said he had joined rescuers in trying to help trapped passengers. The coaches badly damaged were S-1 to S-3 and S-6 to S-8, he said.

While officials at Jajpur refused to speculate about the cause of the accident until senior railway brass arrived, they confirmed that the worst-hit coaches were the ones closest to the engine. These included one luggage-cum-sleeper coach, two unreserved coaches and 11 second class sleeper coaches. The train had a total of 24 coaches and the AC cars were towards the tail-end, officials said.

While local policemen were trying to extricate survivors and bodies with their bare hands, railways commissioned rescue teams with gas cutters and requisitioned help from nearby industries.

Lalu Prasad has said minister of state for Railways R Velu and Railway Board chairman S S Khurana have been asked to proceed to the site of the accident.

Earlier in the day, Lalu had boasted about how Indian Railways had become safer under his stewardship.

“In the last five years, there has also been a significant improvement in railway safety and a steep reduction in the number of railway accidents. The number of consequential accidents came down to 194 in 2007-08 as against 325 in 2003-04,'' he said.

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