Who is responsible for the plight of the railway?

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India have stated in its report that the financial condition of Indian Railways was the worst in 2018 as compared to the last 10 years.

This report, presented in Parliament on Monday, emphasizes reforms in the Indian Railways.

After this report came out, opposition parties have taken a dig at the central government, including Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

The Congress party wrote from its official Twitter account, “The performance of the Indian Railways in the year 2017–18 is the worst as compared to the last 10 years.

The highest an employment-generating institution in India has to spend Rs. 98.44 to earn every hundred rupees.

It is doing this. This is the most accurate example of how BJP has derailed the Indian economy in this way. “

The CAG in its report has tried to explain how the economic condition of Indian Railways as an institution is.

The report states that in the year 2017–18, Indian Railways has received Rs 100 by spending Rs 98.44 in return for it’s services.

Whereas in 2015–16, the Railways earned Rs 100 by spending Rs 90.49.

It has also been told in the report that the Railways has taken advance for some projects from NTPC and IRCON at present.

Due to this, the operating ratio of the railway has remained at 98.44. If not, then this situation could have reached 102.66.

In 2016–17, the Railways had earned an additional income of Rs 4,913 crore due to this revenue.

But in the year 2017–18, this additional income decreased by 66% to Rs 1,665 crore.

Indian Railways earn from all other items including freight and passenger fares. Most of this income is from freight.

At the same time, the railways charge fares to transport its passengers from one place to another.

Senior journalist Zia Imam believes that the reason for the railway’s misery has been absorbed in passenger fares.

Zia says, “Railways have not significantly increased passenger fares for the last 10 years. Because this is an issue that affects governments politically.

The government once decided to increase the fare on suburban rail. But After this, the government had to withdraw the increased rent due to the protests against this decision. “

“In this way, increasing the fares of passenger trains for political parties becomes a risky decision.

This is a political issue which has an impact in the form of the disruption of the railways. Because till now, the issues of increasing the fares of passenger services But the trowel is seen cutting “

“When the NDA government ended the railway budget in the year 2016, it was said that we want to end the appeasement policies of the old governments. But this government also did not increase the fares as per their say.”

The locomotives, rail coaches, signal system etc. are currently being used by the Indian Railways, they have become quite old in terms of current requirements.

In such a situation, railways need to modernize their infrastructure.

But the Railways spends 95% of its earnings in subsidy on passenger fares.

Zia Imam explains, “Railways incur a loss of Rs 35000 crore on passenger trains every year. Whatever the railways get from freight carriers is used to subsidize passenger services. If the last 10–15 years If I had increased the rent a little every year, this situation would not have happened.

Indian Railways becomes a medium for crores of people to reach their destinations from one corner of India to the other every day.

Most of these people are those who are financially weak.

Many experts who understand the economics of railways closely believe that to overcome the economic crisis, the railway needs to be taken out of political tug of war.

Zia Imam seems to agree with this argument.

Zia says, “Railways often say that it is the social responsibility of the railways to provide a means of transportation to the people of the country that it is possible for them to spend.

And then it is also said that these institutions make profit Is not in a position. In such a situation, both these things are quite contradictory. “

“Reports of several committees formed earlier have revealed that people are getting comfortable on the issue of overcharging. Provided that the railways improve their services.

If trains start reaching the destination on time, then people will Like the seventies, if you increase the fare a little, you will not protest by arson. “

In railway history, many railways ministers, from Mamta Banerjee to Sadanand Gowda, have taken political damage from railway accidents to the deterioration of railway services.

In such a situation, the question arises that how much the present railway minister Piyush Goyal is responsible for the present crisis of the economic crisis of the railway.

Zia Imam believes that if the success of the railway will be tied on the head of the current railway minister, then the fault of his failure will also be blown off his head.

Originally published at https://www.mubahisa.in.