New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to restore the fare concessions offered to senior citizens in rail travel.
In his letter, Kejriwal requested the government to reinstate the senior citizen concession, which was discontinued due to Covid. He mentioned that the concession had been benefiting millions of elderly people for many years and further added that it is unfortunate to discontinue this concession.
He said, "Recently, the government announced in the Lok Sabha that discontinuing the concession given to senior citizens in rail travel will save 1600 crore rupees annually."
Terming the amount as a drop in the ocean, he said the government will not become rich by not spending the amount.
"In the upcoming year, the central government will spend 45 lakh crore rupees, of which only 1600 crore rupees are spent on concessions for senior citizens in rail travel. Not spending this amount will not make the central government richer, and spending it will not make the government poor. It goes against Indian culture," he wrote in the letter.
Referring to the Delhi government's free pilgrimage scheme, the CM wrote "if the Delhi government spends Rs 50 crore on the pilgrimage of senior citizens out of its budget of Rs 70,000 crore, it does not make the Delhi government poor."
He further wrote, "I have spoken to several elderly people. This small concession given in rail travel holds great importance for them. Therefore, I request you to show empathy towards the elderly and make efforts to restore this concession as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, the parliamentary standing committee on Railways has advised the government to review and consider concession to senior citizens at least in the sleeper and 3A classes.
"The Committee, in their 12th Action Taken Report (17th Lok Sabha) on Passenger Reservation System had also desired that the concessions to senior citizens which were available in pre-Covid times may be reviewed and considered at least in Sleeper Class and 3A Class so that the vulnerable and genuinely needy citizens could avail the facility in these classes.
"The Committee, therefore, reiterate their earlier recommendation contained in their above-said report and urge upon the Railways to consider empathically for resumption of concessions in fares to senior citizens particularly in Sleeper Class and 3A Class under intimation to this Committee," the report said.
The Railways, however, said it had no immediate plans to resume the concession.