New Delhi: With the aim to improve revenue generation amid COVID-19 outbreak in the country, top Railway employees body, All India Railwaymen's Federation, suggested Union Minister Piyush Goyal to replace pantry cars with coaches in Mail/Express trains.
AIRF gave a number of suggestions to Piyush Goyal, in its letter, aiming to improve the financial health and enhancement of productivity as well as the efficiency of Indian Railways."A number of Mail/Express trains are presently running with one pantry car. The pantry car can be replaced by one ACCN (3AC) coach and catering requirements of passengers can be met on major stations where these trains stop en-route," stated the letter.
It further suggested, "The requirement of meals can be facilitated through e-booking and preparation of the same can be done in the base kitchens located at major stations with even less number of catering staff, who are presently manning the pantry car. This will not only save expenditure but also increase railway earnings."
The Union Minister has also asked Railway Board to examine the suggestions given by AIRF. The Railways is already finding ways to boost its revenues. Earlier, Ministry of Railways had decided to stop providing linen sets in trains to cut costs.
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While speaking to ETV Bharat, AIRF General Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said, "The Union Minister has asked the Railway Board to review the suggestions. This letter has also been sent to all DRMs of zonal railways. Soon, there will be a review meeting on these suggestions."
AIRF also asked the Railway Minister to stop unnecessary outsourcing of works, even in cases where Railway staff and infrastructure are available. The letter stated, "As a matter of fact, there are numerous malpractices in outsourcing of departmental works, and it virtually costs even more than what it will cost if it is done departmentally. This needs to be thoroughly examined and restricted to only those works for which neither staff nor facilities are departmentally available."
The Railways is reeling under massive losses after the suspension of passenger services due to COVID induced lockdown. The financial commissioner had also written a letter to all zones, in June, suggesting several ways to cut short the costs of Indian Railways including a freeze on creation of new posts, removal of retired staff, shifting outsourced activities to corporate social responsibility funds and many others.
AIRF General Secretary had also mentioned that a large number of PSU offices are located in private accommodations, for which a huge amount is being paid every year. Calling it a "sheer wastage of money", he suggested that these PSUs may get accommodated in Railway buildings or in Railway quarters to save "wasteful" money and rent. The Railway Ministry, earlier, had asked all its employee unions and associations to suggest ways to reduce the expenditure of the national transporter and increase the income during COVID times.
Replying on the measures taken by the Central Government, Mishra said to ETV Bharat, "If Government of India believes that combining Rail Budget with the Union Budget will provide efficiency to the Indian Railways then it should also get ready to spend some money. It is not correct to say that Railway should improve itself in infrastructure, signalling, providing pensions by generating revenue on its own without any financial aid from Central government. This needs to be reviewed."
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