Opposition attacks Centre on 'poor' financial health of Railways

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Monday raised the issue of "poor financial health" of Indian Railways in the Rajya Sabha and criticised the Centre for extending "stepmotherly treatment" to non-BJP governments in allocation of funds.

Initiating a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Railways in the Upper House, O'Brien expressed concern over meagre growth in freight revenues and huge borrowing to meet revenue deficit.

He also questioned privatisation of Railways and the need for costly projects like bullet trains when the department was on the verge of bankruptcy.

"The growth in freight has always been tepid of around 1 per cent. Before 2014, it used to be in the range of 4 per cent. So what has happened in the last six years? Have Volvo buses and airline operators taken over the short and long duration journeys? What has gone wrong with the freight which is the 'daal roti' of Railways?" O'Brien said.

He also raised the decline in net revenue receipts by 78 per cent since 2014-15 while referring to revenue deficit of
Attacking the government on various initiatives like giving free tickets to people who do a specific number of squats, the TMC leader said, "Don't mind these gimmicks as it comes from the top like giving your Twitter, Facebook account to women on Women's day.. better would have been by bringing 33 per cent of women in parliament."
Commenting on the railway projects in West Bengal, O'Brien said the central government has "allocated just