Railway Concession For Senior Citizen: Do you know that Indian Railways has abolished the facility of concessional tickets for senior citizens to travel by rail to save Rs 1667 crore. This information has come to the fore from the reply given by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to the question asked in the Lok Sabha.
In the Lok Sabha, a question was asked to the Railway Minister as to how much money the Railways has earned after withdrawing the subsidy given by the Railways on the tickets for the senior citizens to travel by rail. In a written reply to this question, the Railway Minister said that in 2019-20, the Railways had lost revenue of Rs 1667 crore due to exemption in passenger fare to senior citizens. However, the Railway Minister did not tell how much money the government has earned in the last two years after the abolition of the concession on rail fares.
A question was also asked to the Railway Minister that what is the government considering on giving concession on rail fare to senior citizens again? So while answering this question, the Railway Minister said that from March 20, 2020, the facility of concessional train tickets to senior citizens has been abolished. He has not said anything directly in his reply on reinstating the facility of concessional tickets for senior citizens traveling by rail.
However, he said that in 2019-20, Railways had to spend Rs 59,000 crore as subsidy on passenger tickets. He said that on an average, the government gives 53 percent subsidy on every person traveling in the train and this subsidy is being given to all the passengers. He said that apart from this, the government gives separate subsidy on rail travel to Divyangjan, students and patients.
Since the time of Kovid-19 epidemic, the exemption of train fare to senior citizens has been abolished and it has not been started yet. Recently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended for concession in fare for senior citizens. Earlier, Indian Railways used to give 40 per cent concession in male category to senior citizens who are 60 years of age or above.
The report has been presented in both the Houses of the Parliament and it has been said that according to the information given by the government, now the era of Kovid is over and Railways have also benefited by saving on fare exemption. The revenue of Railways has also increased. In this case it should be restored.
