Question : Withdrawal of Travel Subsidy

(a) the total amount that Railways has earned from withdrawal of subsidy to senior citizens/any category of citizens;

(b) whether withdrawal of concession is a permanent measure and if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) the total cost incurred by the Government in bearing the subsidy of the concession for senior citizens for the last ten years, year-wise;

(d) whether the Government has noticed/ received reports of alleged misuse of the travel subsidies to citizens and if so, the details of such misuse;

(e) whether the Government has discontinued/proposes to discontinue any other travel subsidy offered to any category of citizens and if so, the details thereof;

(f) the estimated savings likely to be earned by the Government by discontinuing such travel subsidies; and

(g) whether there is any plan to fix quota for MPs and Ex MPs for rail journey instead of unlimited journey, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)


(a) to (g): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.


STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (g) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1761 BY SHRI ADHIKARI DEEPAK (DEV), SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA AND SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 27.07.2022 REGARDING WITHDRAWAL OF TRAVEL SUBSIDY


(a) to (c): 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 including Divyangjans, students and patients.

(d): Complaints on misuse of travel concession are received from different quarters to Division level, Zonal Railways, Ministry of Railways & even at Station levels etc., and action as found feasible & justified is taken appropriately.

(e) & (f): As already mentioned in the reply to Parts (a) to (c) above.

(g): There is no such proposal under consideration.
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