Defending the government's move to hike the railway fares, Minister of state for Railways Manoj Sinha on Saturday said that there is a rule in railways which allows the government to increase the railway fares twice a year if there is an increase in the prices of petrol and diesel.
"In the last decade there has been no increase in the railway fares. And there is a rule in Railways that when there is an increase in the prices of fuel, then the rail fares can be revised twice a year," said Manoj.
"The rail budget for the coming year was made without considering this hike. Before this hike there was a loss of Rs. 900 crores every month to railways," he added.
The government has increased rail passenger fares by 14.2 percent and freight rates by 6.5 percent, which has led to an outcry by the opposition parties.
