Lok Sabha Question No. 2751 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Advantages of Privatization
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Satyadev Pachauri, S.R. Parthiban

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2751 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2019

## ADVANTAGES OF PRIVATIZATION

## 2751. SHRI SATYADEV PACHAURI:

SHRI PARTHIBAN S. R.:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  privatization  of  Indian  Railways  is  of  larger  public importance  and  the  details  of  extra  advantages  the  Government  is having on running a private train between Delhi and Lucknow;
- (b)  whether  such  privatization  process  is  due  to  the  result  of  loss making along with the details of comparative advantages of running trains by private players in comparison to Indian Railways;
- (c)  whether  the  investments  by  the  private  players  are  commuter friendly;
- (d) whether the employees already working has been assured with the security of tenure and job features;
- (e) whether 'Railway Recruitment Board' will play the human resources role in the emerging privatization; and
- (f)  whether any extra fund has been created to protect the travelling environment ranging from safety to sewage control?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (f)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2751 BY SHRI SATYADEV PACHAURI AND SHRI PARTHIBAN S. R. TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2019 IN LOK SABHA REGARDING ADVANTAGES OF PRIVATISATION (a)  to  (c)  Indian  Railways,  under a  pilot  project,  have authorized Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, to operate 2(two) Tejas Train services on Lucknow-New Delhi and Ahmedabad-Mumbai sectors on haulage charge basis. Of these, the LucknowNew Delhi Tejas has commenced service w.e.f. 04.10.2019. Ministry of Railways have also constituted a Group of Secretaries (GoS) with a term of one year interalia to permit private passenger train operators to operate trains with world class technology  over  Indian  Railways  network  to  provide  improved  and  value-added services. As of now, the GoS has held four meetings and modalities in this regard have not been finalized. (d) No, Sir. There is no provision in Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970 for automatic absorption of contract labourers after completion of contract. However, Railways as Principal Employer should ensure that the facilities by the Contractor  as  per  the  provisions  for  Labour  Laws  including  the  Contract  Labour (Regulation  &  Abolition)  Act,  1970  and  minimum  wages  as  notified  by  the Central/State  Government    under  the  Minimum  Wages  Act,  1948  are  provided. Suitable  instructions  have  been  issued  to  the  Zonal  Railways  that  cases  of violation of these laws, if any, should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the extant provisions. (e)  Railway  Recruitment  Boards  cater  to  the  recruitment  needs  of  all  the  Zonal Railways and Production Units of Group 'C' staff and if mandated, can play a major human resource role in the emerging privatization. (f)  In  2016,  a  policy  decision  was  taken  for  allocating  1%  cost  in  all  sanctioned works  for  execution  of  environment  related  works.  Sewage  treatment  plant  is included in permissible environment related works.

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