Page 12 - Tehelka Issue 8&9

Railways kashmir

A Railways’ finance Railways Finance Corporation is Centre relaxing the centre’s new Kashmir in- country and the separatists
scrutiny of
terlocutor Dineshwar Sharma have a right to carry out their
the report on
(IRFC). The debt burden of In-
in diRe stRaits!
has indicated such a change.
activities democratically,”
dian Railways will ultimately
financial status of
its iron-fist
said Ashok Kaul, the BJP’s J&K
“There are more decisions
Indian Railways
be borne by the next genera-
presented with
ratists will have to carry out
Railways internal revenues
the General Budget 2018-19 in tions of people. in offing,” Dineshwar Sharma spokesperson. “But the sepa-
has told the media. “You will
the Parliament paints dismal Massive investments needed to maintain balance in 2018-19 are estimated at poliCy on Kashmir? see a change, a big change.” their activities peacefully. This
picture of its financial health between commercial status and social responsibil- 2.01 lakh crore, a seven per However, New Delhi has has been conveyed to them.”
indicating that the railways ity of the Indian Railways, writes M.Y.Siddiqui cent higher than the revised so far stayed short of offering But such a shift when the
have to remain financially estimates for 2017-18, which So far, the NDA government has practiced talks to the Hurriyat. Even NDA government is entering
viable on borrowed money comes from freight, passen- hard-nosed policy towards the state that has only Sharma has left it to the wis- in its last year in the power
from market and other gers and sundry earnings. dom of the separatist leaders means too little, too late –
sources. As a result of merger Revenue from freight and made things difficult in the Valley, writes Riyaz Wani “to take a call” on engaging albeit forced possibly by the
of Railways budget with the passenger traffic is estimated New Delhi. This has meant realisation that its hard-nosed
General Budget since 2017-18, at 2 lakh crore. However, s centre changing tack ment has so far practised an that the centre expects the policy so far has only made
Railways escaped dedicated over past few years, internal on Kashmir? It looks iron-fisted policy towards the initiative for the dialogue to things further difficult in the
media focus and for that revenue from freight and pas- like it is, but not quite. state. Soon after he was sworn be taken by the Hurriyat itself, state. In recent past, there has
matter public scrutiny of its senger services is falling short On March 30, in an in 2014, Prime Minister Nar- chances of which are remote. been mounting opinion in the
overall functioning alto- of the targets. I unusual decision, the endra Modi embarked upon a As a result, there is little hope state that the centre should
gether, the casualty being the Added to the above, state government decided no-compromise hardline ap- of an engagement between relax its tough policy towards
impugned report on its finan- expenditure on salaries and to let the top separatist trio proach to control the ongoing the two in the near future. the state.
cial status from public notice. pension is increasing operat- — Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz runaway upsurge in Kashmir. But, this hardly detracts “Such an approach ensures
That is how Indian Railways ing expenditure for 2018-19, Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik But four years on, there from the significance of giving that the turmoil in Kashmir
have lost its sheen in public estimated at 1.88 lakh crore, – carry out their political is little that has changed in Hurriyat leaders some space will linger on,” stated a recent
glare. It comes on the fore in up 4 per cent from 2017-18. activities but with a rider: they Kashmir. Militancy, which to ply their politics. More so, editorial of a local English
public domain only when ac- About 66 per cent of this should not create a law and was sought to be curbed, when even the BJP has batted daily. “One would expect
cidents take place with heavy goes to salary and pension, order problem nor make anti- has grown from strength to for such a space terming the the central government to
casualties. which has been increasing national speeches. strength, despite an increas- government decisions to understand the gravity of the
Indicator of financial budget) of Railways being • Debt trap Total debt of Railways gradually, with a jump of 15 A day later they were even ing number of the killings of free separatists as part of the situation and take incremen-
health of Indian Railways is financed from borrowings. may cross 600,000 crore per cent in the last two years allowed to attend and address the militants. Confidence Building Measure tal steps to address the larger
its Operating Ratio, which is With declining revenue from on account of implemen- the March 30 congregations. So, has the centre finally (CBM). political issue that is primarily
on the higher side currently. generation of freight, passen- tation of the Seventh Pay But a few days later, the state woken up to the deteriorat- “India is a democratic responsible for the turmoil in
Operating Ratio is the ratio of ger and sundry earnings, capi- ings followed by 37 per cent Commission Report. Pension government again placed ing situation in the state and the state.”
working expenditure, arising tal outlay is financed through budgetary support and only bill is also to rise as about 40 them under house arrest started trying some outreach, But, the fact that the time
from day to day operations, to budgetary support from the 8 per cent from railways own per cent of staff are above 50 when twenty people died in beginning with the top • Laws flaws Separatists have for such a policy shift may
revenue earned from traffic. Central Government (General earnings (internal resources). years in 2016-17. three encounters in South separatist leadership? It does advised not create a law and have already run out is also
A higher Operating Ration Exchequer) and market bor- Capital expenditure (develop- In short, capital expendi- Kashmir — thirteen of them appear so. And, no less than order problem in Kashmir not lost on the Kashmir
indicates a poorer ability of rowings. Since 2017-18, when ment budget of Railways) is ture of Indian Railways is militants, four civil- observers.
Railways to generate surplus Railway Budget merged with increasingly being financed increasingly being financed ians and three security “This apparent policy
that can be used for capital the General Budget, Railways through borrowings, from 8 through borrowings from 8 personnel. shift makes little sense
investments in moderniza- have been exempted from percent of total development per cent in 2010-11 to 55 per- The government now. There is little time
tion, laying lines and deploy- paying annual dividend to budget in 2010-11 to 55 per cent in 2018-19, a sorry state of decision to cut sepa- left for the new policy
ing more coaches. Operating the General Exchequer on the cent in 2018-19. Economists railways financial viability. It ratists some slack still to make an impact,”
Ratio for 2018-19 is projected accumulated capital at charge view it as a sure road to debt calls for massive investments stands. They could still says the analyst and
at 92.8 per cent from revised from budgetary support. trap for Indian Railways rais- by the Union Government to be allowed to hold their commentator Gowher
estimates of 2017-18 which In 2018-19, gross budgetary ing its financial difficulties. maintain balance between activities as long as the Geelani. “But if the
was over 96 per cent. During support from the Central Gov- Total debt of Indian Rail- commercial status and government doesn’t centre is sincere and
the past few years, Operating ernment (General Exchequer) ways stood at over 450,000 social responsibility of Indian apprehend a law and serious about a political
Ratio has been around 94 per is at 55,088 crore, while bor- crore in 2014-15. Taking in Railways as the one and only order issue. And, therein outreach and willing to
cent on average, which means rowings are estimated at accounts the ever increasing modes of mass transporta- lies the potential shift resolve issues, there is
Railways are spending 94 81,940 crore. Out of 148,000 annual borrowings in 2015-16, tion of bulk of our people who in the stance towards no reason it shouldn’t
paise out of every rupee that crore capital expenditure (an- 2016-17 and 2018-19, it is cannot afford other modes of Kashmir. And if this is so, make a redeeming
it earns. nual plan outlay) for the fiscal likely to go up by more than transportation! it is happening for the difference.”
Net result has been capital year 2018-19, 55 percent will 600,000 crore. The borrow- first time in the last four
expenditure (development be financed through borrow- ing arms of Railways is Indian letters@tehelka.com years. The NDA govern- letters@tehelka.com

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