The Union government has no plans to privatise the Railways now or in future as it is the property of the people, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Mr. Goyal was responding to the discussion on the working of the Railways Ministry that went for two days. Replying to concerns raised by MPs about the potential sale of the Railways, Mr. Goyal said there was no such proposal. However, there would be public-private partnerships.
Also read: Oppn. MPs caution govt. on railway privatisation
After MPs complained about delayed rail projects, Mr. Goyal said the Centre was focusing on projects without land, forest clearance or encroachment hurdles. He hit out at the West Bengal and Kerala governments in this regard.
He said the government had identified 58 “super critical” and 68 “critical”, “rather than spreading resources thin”.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said there had been slow progress in the project to connect Banihal to Baramulla in Kashmir. Mr. Goyal replied that the project would be completed before India celebrates its 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2022, connecting the length of the country, from Kashmir till Kanyakumari.
Also read: It will take decades to complete the sanctioned railway projects: government
Mr. Goyal said the Railways would also "pay a tribute" to the "unifier" of India - Sardar Patel - by extending the network till Kevadia in Gujarat, where an 182-metre-tall statue of Patel has been erected. He said the Railways was on course to achieve its target of 100% electrification by 2024. On the issue of safety, he said till Tuesday, there had been no deaths this financial year from rail accidents.
The Opposition, however, hit out at the government over the financial health of the Railways. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien asked why the growth in freight had decreased from 4% to 1% and why the Railways was facing a revenue deficit of Rs.25,000 crore.
"When any project is successful, then the Centre will take credit, but if there is a delay, is it the state's fault," he asked.
