Keen to increase earnings, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee today said she intends to give a boost to public-private partnership (PPP) and will give Railway land on lease for infrastructure development.
Intervening in the Lok Sabha during debate on Railway Budget 2009-10, she said her main thrust would be on "core" activities regarding which a monitoring mechanism was being set up. "One additional official will be deputed for that purpose."
Referring to her intention to promote PPP model, Banerjee said "it is not that we are selling the land. Our idea is that Railways' main asset is their property, which means the land bank."
She said "pressurising" Railways to earn money only from the passenger fare would not be a healthy thing to do.
Noting that Railways have more than three lakh acres of land, the minister said, "I think it is better if we can utilise that land. Instead of selling the land, we can give it on lease. We have even prepared a blueprint for that."