Indian Railways not for sale, won’t be privatised, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday (December 2) quashed all rumours of privatisation of Indian Railways. Vaishnaw said that the iconic national transporter will not be privatised, adding that such a move would not happen in the future also. 

Speaking on the sidelines of a media event, the minister said that the Centre is not working on any privatisation plan for Indian Railways. He added that Railways is a huge and complex system. 

Moreover, he listened to the direct feedback from passengers and tea stall vendors. He said that the feedback was valuable and appreciated. He was speaking at the News18 India Chaupal event. 

However, this isn’t the first time when a Railways Minister had denied plans related to the privatisation of Indian Railways. Previously, his predecessor Piyush Goyal had also made it very clear that the carrier would never go into private hands. 

“I assure you that the Railways is India’s property and it will be never privatised. It is a property of every Indian and will remain so,” Goyal had said. He, however, wasn’t shy to propose that private investment could make the functioning of Indian Railways efficient. 

Earlier on Wednesday (December 1), Vaishnaw, who is also union minister for IT, said that the electronics manufacturing industry's commitment and assurance to drive USD 300 billion revenue by 2025-26 offers "great confidence". Also Read: Anand Rathi Wealth IPO: Check latest GMP, subscription status

Speaking at ‘Azadi Ka Digital Mahotsav’, a week-long event that showcases India's achievements in digital space, Vaishnaw highlighted that the world is now opening up towards India and considering the country as a manufacturing hub. Also Read: Elon Musk takes jibe at Parag Agrawal, Jack Dorsey with Stalin meme

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