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Welfare Party of India slams govt plan for privatization of Railways

By TCN News,

New Delhi: The Welfare Party of India took strong exception to the new policy shift of privatization in the railway sector as proposed by the Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in the Rail Budget 2013-14. Party General Secretary Dr. S.Q.R. Ilyas in a statement issued here warned that leaving the largest public sector undertaking of the nation that employs more than 14 lakh people, gradually to the mercy of profit- driven private sector will invite the death bell of this PSU.

The budget proposal for 5.8% increase in the freight charge will increase the price of essential commodities and cause further price rise. The minister’s claim of sparing the passenger fare is ridiculous as, through an executive order of January of this year, an additional burden of 6600 crore was slapped on them; and now, by increasing reservation, cancellation and tatkal charges, further additional burden has been indirectly imposed.

Welfare Party of India wondered why unnecessary burden being imposed on “aam admi” for the sake of modern “sound economic principles,” when it was undeniably and economically proven by former minister Lalu Prasad Yadav that it can be run and managed without hiking passenger fare.

WPI General Secretary Dr. S.Q.R. Ilyas said that proposals for structural reforms and dynamic mechanisms like Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC) linked freight charge and periodic increase of passenger fare by appointing Railway Tariff Regulation Authority will worsen the worries of the masses. He requested all political parties, people’s movements and trade unions to thwart these proposals by raising strong resistance in and out of the parliament.