There is good news for senior citizens traveling in Indian Railways. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended re-introduction of concession on fare given to senior citizens by the Railways before the coronavirus pandemic.
Indian Railways used to give 40 per cent concession in fares to men aged 60 years or more. While women passengers of the age of 58 years or more got 50 percent discount in the fare.
These concessions were given to senior citizens in fares of all classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto group trains. But was withdrawn on March 20, 2020. The Standing Committee on Railways, headed by BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh, made this recommendation in its report on the demand for grants presented in both houses of Parliament on Monday.
The parliamentary committee has already demanded
According to the news agency PTI, the committee said that according to the information given by the Railways, now the situation has become normal from Kovid and the Railways has achieved normal growth. The committee had also expressed this desire in its 12th Action Taken Report (17th Lok Sabha) on Passenger Reservation System.
The committee says that it can be considered at least in sleeper class and third AC class so that weak and really needy citizens can take advantage of this facility. However, the Railways said that it has no plans at present to resume the concession. Because already 50-55 percent concession is being given to all the passengers.
At the same time, in December last year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has also made it clear that the concession given to senior citizens in the Railways will not be restored for the time being. He told that the pension and salary bill of the Railways is very high. Apart from this, last year, Indian Railways had given a subsidy of Rs 59000 crore for passenger related services.
