TN urges Centre to roll back rail freight hike

All the months were the same as far as railway freight transport was concerned, said Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has urged the Centre to immediately roll back the 15 per cent hike in railway freight charges, saying it will affect the country's economy further and mostly common people.

Comparing the hike as "akin to adding fuel to the fire," effective from October to June, which is considered to be a busy season, Jayalalithaa said it would result in an increase in prices of all essential commodities besides industrial raw materials like cement, coal and iron.

The Centre, according to her, in the name of dynamic pricing policy, has classified the nine-month period October-June as 'busy season' and the three-month July-September period as 'lean season', and has been levying enhanced freight charges during the 'busy season'. However, she pointed out that during April to June 2011, the Centre had hiked and fixed the freight charges for coal by 5 per cent and for other products by 7 per cent.

She said, from October 2011 to June 2012, the freight charges for all products were hiked by 10 per cent and from October 2012 to June 2013, it hiked the freight charges for foodgrains and chemical fertilisers by 10 per cent each and for other products by 12 per cent for the busy season.

"Since all the months are the same as far as railway freight transport was concerned, it was unjustified to artificially classify it as busy season and lean season," the chief minister said.