New Delhi (PTI): Taking credit for not increasing the passenger fare for the fifth consecutive time, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said Indian Railway has achieved unprecedented heights of success and progress.

Rejecting the charge from various quarters that he had not announced any new projects or introduced new trains for certain regions, Prasad said schemes had to be cleared by the Planning Commission before launching them.

He was adressing a customary Press conference after presenting Railway Budget 2008-09 in Parliament.

Seeking to assuage those who expected more schemes in this budget, Prasad said this was not his last budget and more will follow.

Buoyed by the whopping Rs 72,755 crore traffic revenue which was 16 per cent higher than the previous year, Railway Minister set a target of Rs 82,000 crore revenue next year.

Maintaining that he had kept a high trajectory of growth during his last five years, Prasad said when he took over the ministry the situation was pretty bad.

To questions, Prasad said efforts were on to improve train services in the north east, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and to lay new lines in hilly and remote areas.

As part of social welfare measures, he said railway porters to be appointed as gangmen and other Group D posts as one time exercise.