Indian Railways Latest News: The exemption given to senior citizens on railway tickets by the government is going to be restored again. A question was asked about this in Parliament on Friday.
In response to this, it was told that up to 53 per cent subsidy is being given per person on tickets by the Railways. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday that the Indian Railways gave a subsidy of Rs 59,837 crore on passenger tickets in the financial year 2019-20. That’s an average discount of 53 percent for each person traveling.
Considering discounting tickets!
However, there was no clear answer from the Railway Minister whether the government is considering giving concession in tickets to railway senior citizens. The minister told that on top of this subsidy, concessions are also being given to disabled passengers, students and patients. Along with recommending the restoration of concession on railway tickets for senior citizens, a parliamentary committee had asked the Railway Minister in a written question, what is the government’s stand on the concession that was abolished after the Corona period?
Advice to consider sleeper and 3rd AC
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said in his written reply that the Standing Committee on Railways has advised to review and consider concessions to senior citizens in sleeper and 3rd AC. Along with this, he also told that a subsidy of Rs 59,837 crore has been given on passenger tickets. This subsidy continues for all passengers.
In response to another question by BJP MP Sushil Modi, the Railway Minister said that on the revenue front due to concession in passenger fare to senior citizens during the years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively, about Rs 1,491 crore, Rs 1,636 crore and Rs 1,667 crore were incurred.
