Business News: Although Indian Railways provides a lot of facilities to the common passengers, but when it comes to earning, it leaves no one behind. An example of this was found in the response to an RTI. In which information was given that by ending the relief for the elderly, Railways earned about Rs 4 crore per day. Yes, this data is about 4-4 years old. You should understand how much the Railways would have earned earlier. Questions asked under RTI have revealed that Indian Railways has earned additional revenue of more than Rs 5,800 crore from senior citizens after withdrawing the train fare concessions given to senior citizens.
Earlier we used to get this much discount
After the announcement of the nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 20, 2020, the Railway Ministry had withdrawn the concession given to senior citizens in train fares. Till that time, Railways used to give 50 percent discount in train fare to women passengers and 40 percent discount to male and transgender senior citizens. After the removal of this exemption, senior citizens will have to pay the same fare as other passengers. As per Railway norms, men and transgenders aged 60 years and above and women aged 58 years and above are considered senior citizens.
This is how railways earned money
The picture of the situation after the end of the concession given in passenger fare to the elderly has become clear from the answers received on some RTI applications. Madhya Pradesh resident Chandra Shekhar Gaur has filed applications under the RTI Act at different times and obtained information that from March 20, 2020 to January 31, 2024, Railways has earned additional revenue of more than Rs 5,875 crore under this head.
such calculation
He told that Railways has given figures on the basis of year and gender. With their help, we can easily find out the additional revenue collected by Railways from March 20, 2020 to January 31, 2024. These copies reveal that there are approximately 13 crore men, nine crore women and 33,700 transgender seniors over a period of about four years. Citizens traveled by train, generating a total revenue of approximately Rs 13,287 crore. Gaur said that after calculating the concession of 50 per cent for women and 40 per cent for men and transgender senior citizens, which was applicable earlier, this amount comes to more than Rs 5,875 crore.
The question has also been raised in Parliament
Questions related to restoration of concession in rail fares to senior citizens after the end of the pandemic have been raised at various forums, including in both Houses of Parliament. However, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, without giving any direct answer on this, had said that Indian Railways gives 55 percent discount in train fare to every railway passenger. Vaishnav had said in a press conference in January 2024 that if the price of a train ticket to a destination is Rs 100, the Railways is charging only Rs 45 from the passenger. In this way a discount of Rs 55 is being given on the journey. On this, Gaur said that instead of making any new offer, the present government has only withdrawn the concessions, hence this shows that before Covid-19, concessions of more than Rs 55 were being given on purchasing train tickets.
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2024-04-02 21:48:13