Unions Call For Massive Demonstration Against Union Budget Proposal For ‘Corporatisation’ And ‘Privatisation’ of Indian Railways

Claiming that Union Budget has unveiled the roadmap of the NDA government to aggressively pursue corporatisation and privatisation of Indian Railways, the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) has said its affiliates are going to launch massive protests across the country against the move

Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech on Friday (Jul 5) proposed that railways should use Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for faster development, rolling stock manufacturing and the delivery of freight. t the move.

Railways will need Rs 50 lakh crore between 2018 to 2030 to complete the sanctioned projects, Finance Minister said while presenting the Budget.

NFIR general secretary M Raghavaiah in his letter to general secretaries of all railway unions alleged that the Union Budget reveals the government’s intentions to aggressively proceed towards corporatisation and privatisation.

“In order to convey the strong protest of the rail workforce. NFIR directs all its affiliates to arrange massive protest demonstrations and rallies wearing protest badges from 10th to 13th July all over Indian Railway,” he urged in his letter

Earlier last month, many Railway unions including All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF), National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) and Railway Mazdoor Sangh (RMS), threatened industrial unrest against the government’s idea of corporatising the seven production units of Railways.