RESTORING CONCESSIONS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

 Restoring concessions for senior citizens in trains – Details information submitted by Railway in Lok Sabha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.287
ANSWERED ON 03.02.2023

RESTORING CONCESSIONS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS

287 SHRI BINOY VISWAM:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) Whether Railways have taken cognizance of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways’ recommendation to restore concessions in trains for senior citizens;

(b) whether all the trains that were discontinued due to the pandemic, have resumed full operations, if not, whether Railways intend to do so, and by when; and

(c) whether there are any railway station stoppages that have not yet been resumed after the COVID lockdown, if so, by when Railways intend to resume these stoppages?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a): Standing Committee on Railways has advised to review and consider concession to senior citizens at least in sleeper and 3 AC. Government gave subsidy of ₹59,837 Crore on passenger tickets in 2019-20. This amounts to concession of 53% on an average, to every person, travelling on Railways. This subsidy is continuing for all passengers. Further concessions beyond this subsidy amount are continuing for many categories like Divyangjans, students and patients

.(b) & (c): With a view to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, Indian Railways had discontinued the operation of all regular passenger carrying trains with effect from 23rd March, 2020 and only special train services were being operated. Since November-2021, Mail/express train services are being operated as per rationalized timetable and regular numbers. The passenger services are being operationalised in a phased manner. Indian Railways is keeping a close watch on the situation and regulating operations of trains accordingly. As regards stoppage, it is stated that Indian Railways have undertaken rationalization of the time table in a scientific manner with the assistance of IIT-Bombay. The exercise has been undertaken inter alia to provide for better passenger safety by creating maintenance corridor blocks, minimizing conflicts in existing time table and generation of additional path for freight traffic.

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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.296
ANSWERED ON 03.02.2023

SENIOR CITIZEN CONCESSIONS

296 SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR MODI:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) the revenue foregone by Railways on account of senior citizen concessions between 2017-18 and 2019-20, year-wise;

(b) whether it is a fact that revenue loss from concessions availed in Non-AC sleeper and general class are lower than in higher classes, if so, year-wise comparisons thereof;

(c) all the categories of persons for which concessions are available in Railways and the losses incurred on account of such concessions in last three years, year-wise; and

(d) whether Railways is considering reintroduction of senior citizen concessions in Non-AC sleeper and general classes, if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a): Revenue foregone due to concessions in passenger fare to Senior citizens during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 are approximately ₹1491 crore, ₹1636 crore and ₹1667 crore respectively.

(b): Revenue foregone due to concessions to senior citizens in Non-AC classes vis a vis AC classes during 2017-18 to 2019-20 are as under:

Period	Revenue foregone (in ₹ crore approx.)
	Non AC classes	AC classes
2017-18	670	820
2018-19	714	921
2019-20	701	965

(c): At present, concessions in passenger fare are admissible to 4 categories of Persons with Disabilities, 11 categories of Patients and Students. Revenue foregone due to concessions to Persons with Disabilities, Patients and Students during last three years are as under:

Categories of passengers	Revenue foregone (in ₹ crore approx.)
	2019-2020	2020-21	2021-22
Persons with Disabilities	135	19	55
Patients	155	19	47
Students	55	0.11	5

(d): Government gave subsidy of ₹59,837 Crore on passenger tickets in 2019-20. This amounts to concession of 53% on an average, to every person, travelling on Railways. This subsidy is continuing for all passengers. Further concessions beyond this subsidy amount are continuing for many categories like Divyangjans, students and patients