Senior Citizen Railway Concession: The government told the Lok Sabha that the Railways is spending an average of 46 per cent of the amount on subsidy for every rail passenger’s travel.
Railway Concession For Senior Citizen: On the second day of the Monsoon Session of the 18th Lok Sabha, the issue of the concession given to senior citizens on rail fare in the past was raised in the House. When the government was asked about reinstating the concession given to senior citizens, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw did not answer this question with clarity. The Railway Minister said, the government is giving an average subsidy of 46 percent on the fare of every person traveling by railway.
During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, MP Deepak Dev Adhikari asked the Railway Minister whether there is any plan to restore the subsidy given on rail fares to senior citizens during the Covid pandemic? Responding to this question, the Railway Minister said, in the financial year 2022-23, Indian Railways has given a subsidy of Rs 56,993 crore on the tickets of passengers traveling by rail. He said, Indian Railways is giving an average subsidy or concession of 46 percent on every person traveling by rail. This subsidy is applicable to all rail passengers traveling by train.
The Railway Minister said, apart from the subsidy of Rs 56,993 crore given to the railway passengers on rail travel, the railways also provides concession in rail fares to 4 categories of Divyangjan, 11 categories of patients and 8 categories of students. The Railway Minister said, the aim of the Indian Railways is to provide affordable services to people from all sections of the society.
This is not the first time that the Railway Minister has been questioned about stopping the concession given to senior citizens on rail fares. During the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha, in March 2020, the government had abolished this concession during the Corona epidemic. After this, the government has been asked several times in Parliament about restarting it. But the government has always refused to reinstate the concession given to senior citizens on rail fares.
