Niti Aayog advises Railway Ministry to cut social service'

New Delhi: Pointing out that Indian Railways, the nation’s largest transporter, suffers losses every year owing to its orientation towards social service — i.e. charging low fares which are way below its costs, and granting a range of concessions to passengers belonging to 53 categories like senior citizens, war widows, patients suffering from life threatening diseases, and physically challenged persons among others — the Niti Aayog while glossing over the life-long free travel to which MPs (both sitting as well as former) are entitled to in trains, has suggested that Indian Railways should take steps to address the social cost of its passenger service business.

In other words, the railway ministry has been advised to revisit the concessional travel it offers to such a long list of category of passengers, as Niti Aayog feels that it is the social cost obligation which has majorly impacted its earnings over the years.

While Niti Aayog, in its paper, titled ‘Reviewing the Impact of Social Service Obligations by Indian Railways’, has made this suggestion and has even listed various categories under which passengers are given concessional travel, it has failed to list MPs or members of Parliament, who are entitled to free travel in AC 1 as well as AC II compartments for whole life. This major concession is not only for sitting MPs but even for ex-MPs.

Incidentally when this correspondent checked the Indian Railways’ list of categories of passengers who are entitled to concessional travel, it does not mention MPs anywhere.

Free travel by lawmakers in the public transporter might as well be adding to its burgeoning losses. The Indian Railways’ list consists of 53 categories of passengers under 12 major bands. These include disabled passengers, patients, senior citizens, awardees, war widows and so on.