CPI(M), CITU describe Railway budget as regressive

CPI(M) today said the Railway budget 2015-16 was "high on hyperbole but low on content" and will not bring the promised good days for the poor.
The central trade unions also described the railway budget as "utterly regressive" and said the fright hike will result in increase of prices of all essential commodities.
"In sum, this Railway budget is not going to result in 'acchhe din' (good days) for the poor, though the Railway minister quoted the Prime Minister saying that the railways will be an instrument for eliminating poverty," CPI(M) Polit Bureau said.
The party said that though the Railway Minister asserted that Indian Railways will continue to remain an asset of the people but the extent to which he wanted to raise resources for critical infrastructure through the PPP, BOT and others raises "serious" questions.

CPI(M) said that the budgetary allocations for extending railways to backward and far flung areas and greater access for the poorer sections are totally "inadequate".
"The railways will henceforth only prioritise the unfinished projects. Thus its social objectives will remain unaddressed. The Railway Minister's claim of a reversal of decline with the vision he spelt out hardly inspires any confidence," the party said.

The party also claimed that traffic growth has declined and expenditures "outstrip" according to revised estimates.
"There are 4.6 crore less originating passengers. The passenger earnings were short by Rs 968 crores proving earlier fare hikes to be counterproductive. Given this, there should not be any euphoria over passenger fares not being raised," the party said.

"The Rail Budget for the year 2015-16 was high on hyperbole but low on content. In fact, it has spelt out certain intentions with scarce factual details to translate these ideas into reality," it said.
Noting that the gross traffic receipts were Rs 492 crores as compared to the revised estimates, the party said that the railways success in generating internal resources for plan finances also falls short.