New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that privatisation of the railways is not on the government's agenda. He accused the opposition of spreading false propaganda and urged them not to propagate such lies in the Lok Sabha.

Vaishnaw reiterated the government's stance of not privatising the railways while presenting the Railway Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. Despite protests, the Bill was passed during the winter session of Parliament.

The Railway Amendment Bill aims to ensure the legal authority of the Railway Board and grant greater autonomy to railway zones. The Railway Board was originally established under the Indian Railway Board Act of 1905. The new Amendment Bill seeks to repeal this law and merge it with the Indian Railways Act of 1989. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that, once this comes into effect, there will be no need to examine two different laws for matters related to the Railways.

With the inclusion of the Railway Board under the 1989 Railway Act, the appointment, qualifications, tenure and criteria for the Chairman and members of the Board will be the responsibility of the Central Government. As part of the plan to improve railway operations, the Bill also includes provisions to appoint an independent regulator. The regulator will oversee matters like fare determination and ensuring the competitiveness of the Railways.

Earlier, during the debate on the Railway Amendment Bill, opposition members demanded the abandonment of the move to privatise the railways. They also called for the Bill to be referred to a joint parliamentary committee for further scrutiny and requested the restoration of the concessions that senior citizens had previously enjoyed.