Rail Budget unlikely to be harsh: Kumar

NEW DELHI: Financial aspects of the Railways are satisfactory, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday indicating that the Budget he will present on February 24 may not be very harsh.
"To some extent, I am satisfied about the financial aspects", he told reporters when asked whether he was satisfied with the finances of his ministry.
Declining to reveal his mind on whether the budget would be "hard or soft", Kumar said the budget for 2003-04 would be presented in the Lok Sabha as scheduled on February 24.
Though the presentation of budgets were decided by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, according to information available with his ministry, it would be presented on February 24.
He said the budgetary process was almost completed and only finishing touches have to be given to the budget.