The Rajya Sabha has taken up the discussion on the Rail Budget 2012-13. Initiating the discussion, Mr Balbir Punj of the BJP said, the proposed hike in the passenger fares is not in proportion to the amenities offered to commuters. He apprehended that the hike is likely to have a cascading effect on the essential commodities leading to further inflation. He said, Mr Dinesh Trivedi’s resignation as Rail Minister is a mystery and wanted to know the reasons behind it. Mr Punj warned that the Railways, which is the life-line of the country’s economy, should not suffer due to the compulsions of coalition politics.
Mr Ramchandra Khuntia of the Congress said, Indian Railways is the third largest infrastructure in the world. He urged the government to implement uniform compensation to the victims in the rail accidents. He also expressed concern over the decreasing trend in the internal resource generation in Railways.
The discussion is continuing.