The National Federation of Indian Railwaymen’s (NFIR) general secretary Dr M Raghavaiah today said that the Union Budget 2022-23 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has disappointed vast section of people in general and wage earners, pensioners and unemployed youth in particular.
Reacting to the Union Budget, the NFIR general secretary said that the Central Government has ignored the reality relating to hardships being faced by workers, youth and other vulnerable sections of people due to price escalation in the past two years.
He said that the government has failed to contain prices of various commodities, petrol, diesel which is causing unbearable burden on people. He said that sadly there has been no consideration shown for enhancing Income tax exemption limit.
While the Budget aims to create 60 lakh jobs the Government is blind to the situation wherein, the Railways alone more than 3.5 lakh posts are vacant causing heavy burden on the existing staff.
“If new posts are not sanctioned for maintenance of newly built assets and existing vacancies are not filled on emergency basis , Indian Railways safety standards would deteriorate leading to untoward incidences,” he claimed.
He further said that the Union government and Railway ministry should take a call for lifting the ban on creation of posts in Railways and at the same time action should be taken to fill all vacancies in general and safety related vacant posts in particular.
Dr. Raghavaiah said that during the second wave of the pandemic 2020-21 the Indian Railways have achieved a freight loading over 1234 million tones, surpassing all previous achievements and in the process, over 3000 railway employees got infected with COVID-19 and died. These families are yet to be granted ex gratia by the Government of India.
NFIR also expressed disappointment that the Budget did not take care to grant full salary of child care leave to women employees. “Additional Pensions to the Central Government pensioners on attainment of 70 years age has also not been announced through the Union Budget,” he added.
