Deviating from past practice, the Railway Budget for 2003-04 will be presented at 1100 IST instead of 12 noon on February 26, official sources said on Friday.

Though no reasons were given for shifting the time of Budget presentation, it is understood that a function tounveil Shivaji statue was being held around 1300 IST after the Budget, in which the prime minister and other leaders of various political parties are expected to participate.

Originally the Railway Budget was to be presented on February 24 which was postponed to February 26 as PrimeMinister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would be away in Malaysia.

With the shifting of the date for Railway Budget, the Economic Survey, which was to be tabled on February 26 willnow be presented to Parliament on February 27, a day ahead of the general Budget on February 28.

The prime minister would reply to the Motion of Thanks in Lok Sabha on President's address on February 27.