Khammam: Rajya Sabha member Vaddiraju Ravichandra has asked the central government to bring back the railway subsidy scheme for journalists.
He explained that many journalists come from low- and middle-income backgrounds and rely on trains to travel for their daily work.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Vaddiraju requested the Railway Ministry to reinstate the subsidy, which was removed during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that bringing it back would reduce the financial burden on journalists.
He mentioned that journalists and their associations have been asking the government for the past three years to restore the 50% discount on train tickets that was available earlier.
Vaddiraju said it is fair to give this concession to journalists, as they play a key role in society by acting as the fourth pillar of democracy.
After his speech, he met with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav in Parliament and handed over a formal request. The minister responded positively and gave instructions to officials to look into the matter.
