New Delhi: Railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has announced concessions in freight and loading of coal, steel, cement, fertilisers and food grains. Yadav hopes freight cost reductions would help increase booking volumes.

After a meeting with representatives of industries yesterday, he said, "To carry on the good progress, we have to concentrate more on commerce and trade, as most of our earnings come from freight from cement, steel, minerals, steel, fertilizers and consumer items."

Announcing the indefinite postponement of a 10-per cent surcharge on cement bookings, Yadav said the waiver would help ease flow of raw materials for heavy industry to improve infrastructure growth.

"We have postponed the 10-per cent surcharge put on cement freight on two-point rakes. The measures have come through interaction with representatives of traders, the basic idea being mutual profit," he said.

Zonal administrative bodies would compulsorily take specific decisions on freight discount within two months, he promised.

The minister also announced complaints redressal camps to handle claims and refunds at zonal levels in the first week of every quarter.

A Railway Ministry release said it hoped to increase share in cement and steel transportation to 200 million tonnes by 2012.

The railways earned a revenue surplus of Rs13,000 crore in FY 2006-2007.