New Delhi: There is deep resentment among railway employees and labour organizations on the Union Budget 2025-26, presented in Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The National Indian Railway Employees Federation (NFIR) described the budget as disappointing for the working class and the general public. NFIR General Secretary M Raghavaiya said that the budget seems indifferent to the concerns of railway employees and the development of railway infrastructure. Raghavaiya said the budget promotes monetization and privatization of government assets. He said the government's policy points towards increasing the participation of private companies in public sector undertakings like railways. "In this budget, no clear announcement was made on new recruitments or permanent employment opportunities in the railways, due to which the problem of unemployment is likely to deepen. Many major reforms were expected in the railway sector, but the government did not present any concrete plan regarding modernization of railways and new projects. Apart from this, the government is cutting down on expenses to reduce the losses of the railways, which may have a negative impact on the safety of employees and passenger facilities," he said.
Raghavaiya further said that railway employees were expecting that a concrete decision would be taken on Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) in the budget, but the Finance Minister did not make any clear announcement on it. Central Government employees and pensioners were expecting an increase in dearness allowance, but no attention was paid to it in the budget, which has shocked lakhs of government employees. The government did not present any special plan to control the rising inflation and increase in the prices of essential commodities. He said if the government does not take necessary steps to control inflation, the general public and the working class may have to suffer.
Radhavaiya said that issues related to safety and maintenance in the railways were ignored. "At present, thousands of posts are lying vacant in the railways, but there is no mention of filling these posts in the budget. This can pose a serious threat to the smooth operation of the railways and the safety of passengers. Railway employees were hoping that the government would announce the 8th Pay Commission or give interim relief to the employees, but no decision was taken in this regard. NFIR has demanded that the government should take steps towards improving the salaries and facilities of the employees before the Pay Commission", he said.
NFIR press secretary SN Malik also criticized the budget, saying that it did not bring any relief not only to the railway employees but also to their families and the general public. He said the government should make policies keeping in mind the needs of the working class and should focus on strengthening the railways instead of moving towards privatization. "There is deep dissatisfaction among railway employees, labor organizations and the general public regarding the Union Budget 2025-26. Many organizations including NFIR believe that this budget is going to promote privatization. Now it remains to be seen what steps the government takes next to address these concerns," he said.
