Railwaymen’s Federation to oppose 100% FDI design
30 Nov 2014 10:01 PM GMT
The All-India Railwaymen’s Federation on Saturday said it opposes 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in railways as it will ‘demolish the existing framework’ of the organisation. ‘During the national convention of AIRF, 100 per cent FDI in railway was taken as a challenge as it will demolish the existing frame work of the organisation,’ National General Secretary AIRF Shiv Gopal Mishra told reporters here.
‘It is being said that FDI is needed for railways. But when the government can invest in infrastructure, then why not in railways?’ he added. ‘The Railways is not in loss. The Railways could have saved Rs 1,56,000 crore if it was allowed to do fair pricing,’ he pointed out.
‘When in opposition, the BJP had opposed FDI during the UPA regime and now it has taken a U-turn and is supporting it,’ he observed. Mishra said that other issues of merging dearness allowance into basic salary, provision of interim relief, abolition of the new pension scheme and restoration of the old one, and the anti-labour provisions in the labour law were also taken up.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that he favours privatisation of railway stations. ‘Railway facilities are the same as they were 100 years back.... Privatise the railway stations and modernise them,’ he said.
‘I will make it in 10-12 places. Stations should be better than airports as most travellers are poor people. We can easily have trains running below and commercial properties above (floor),’ reasoned the Prime Minister.
‘It is being said that FDI is needed for railways. But when the government can invest in infrastructure, then why not in railways?’ he added. ‘The Railways is not in loss. The Railways could have saved Rs 1,56,000 crore if it was allowed to do fair pricing,’ he pointed out.
‘When in opposition, the BJP had opposed FDI during the UPA regime and now it has taken a U-turn and is supporting it,’ he observed. Mishra said that other issues of merging dearness allowance into basic salary, provision of interim relief, abolition of the new pension scheme and restoration of the old one, and the anti-labour provisions in the labour law were also taken up.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that he favours privatisation of railway stations. ‘Railway facilities are the same as they were 100 years back.... Privatise the railway stations and modernise them,’ he said.
‘I will make it in 10-12 places. Stations should be better than airports as most travellers are poor people. We can easily have trains running below and commercial properties above (floor),’ reasoned the Prime Minister.
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