Govt sources dismiss Congress' claim of misuse of railway safety measures fund
New Delhi, Jun 10: Dismissing the Congress' allegation of misuse of funds meant for railway safety on crockery, furniture and foot massagers, government sources on Saturday said these were used in rooms of train drivers who spend long hours on duty.
According to an official document, the national transporter has spent more than Rs 1 lakh crore on safety measures between 2017-2018 and 2021-22 with a steady growth in expenditure on track renewal.
Citing a 2021 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the Congress on Friday claimed the central government "misused" funds meant for railway safety on crockery, car rentals, furniture, laptops and foot massagers.
"This is how funds specifically meant for railway safety were used. This is the CAG's finding," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, days after a triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore claimed 278 lives and injured nearly 1,000 people.
The government sources said the items mentioned by the Congress were being used in rooms of loco-pilots who run trains.
"They are the most essential and key elements of safety in railways. There are some who spend long hours in trains, sometimes even standing...all day. The foot massagers are for them. These are not a luxury item for them but a necessity which keeps them in good health," one of the sources said.
According to the CAG report, referred to by the Congress, the railways has spent Rs 1.48 crore for the purchase of furniture, utensils, crockery, kitchen/electrical appliances, Rs 0.085 crore on hiring of vehicles, and Rs 4.54 crore on street light, fee to pollution control board, foot massager, winter jackets among other things.
The sources said these were expenditures critical to the well-being of the running staff.
All India Railwaymen's Federation secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said, "Our station managers and running staff work day and night and it's not fair to politicise things bought for their use like crockery and foot massager. Politics over these things only ruin the image of the railways."
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
