No Plans To Privatise Indian Railways: Govt As Oppn Escalates Attack

He also asked all states to work together with the Centre for the efficient operation of the Indian Railways.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (File Photo: SANSAD TV/PTI)

New Delhi: Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said the Central government has no plans to privatise the Indian Railways.

No privatisation of the Railways, ANI reported Vaishnaw as saying in the Rajya Sabha.

He also asked all states to work together with the Centre for the efficient operation of the Indian Railways.

Vaishnaw, who was replying to members of the Upper House after a discussion on the working of his ministry, said there is absolutely no question of discrimination against any state.

The Railways Minister’s remarks came a day after Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the Central government must give up the idea of privatisation of the Indian Railways.

Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, claimed that a picture of railways running into losses was being projected with an objective to privatise the national transporter.

Kharge accused the ruling dispensation of not giving due credit to the previous Congress-led governments for their contribution to development of the Indian Railways.

“If so much hatred exists in a democracy, it will become difficult to sustain,” he said during a discussion on the working of the Railways Ministry, PTI reported.

The Congress leader further said the Centre should focus on the ground reality instead of publicity as it will not fill stomachs, adding the people will keep fighting until they are gainfully employed.

Asserting around 2.65 lakh posts in the railways are lying vacant, Kharge pointed out that 3.18 lakh people are employed on daily wages and 9.67 lakh posts are regularised.

Asking the Centre to give up the idea of privatisation of the Indian Railways, the Leader of Opposition argued it will lead to a spike in inflation due to increased freight rates.

The Congress leader while referring to the plans to introduce bullet trains in India through collaboration with Japan said the ruling dispensation had said these trains would start running in 2022, but the project is moving at a snail’s pace.