Not privatising Railways, but only outsourcing commercial and onboard services to private players, Piyush Goyal tells Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The government is not privatising the Indian Railways but only outsourcing commercial and on-board services to private players in order to provide better facilities to commuters, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Responding to a series of queries during Question Hour, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said such a step has been taken as it is not possible for the government to meet the fund requirement of Rs 50 lakh crore estimated for the next 12 years to operate Railways.

"Our intention is to give better services and benefits and not to privatise the Indian Railways. The Indian Railways is and always continues to be the property of India and people of India," Goyal assured in the Upper House.