Owing to confusion whether the Railways have been exempted from new service tax regime, the hike in railway fares was not brought into effect on July 02, 2012. According to a railway ministry official, “there will be no hike in passenger fares which comes in to effect from Monday.”
The new hike, if imposed, will increase the fares of all AC classes and first class by 3.6%.Meanwhile goods and passenger fares have been excluded from the hike as Railways have not received any communication from the Finance ministry.
Railway Minister Mukul Roy said that he has requested the newly elected finance minster Manmohan Singh not to introduce service tax on passenger fare and freight traffic, he is confident that finance minter would realize the situation and will accept his request. Earlier he has requested for the same to Pranab Mukherjee then the finance minster of India.
This exemption of passenger and freight charges will cost Indian railways Rs 6000 crore if it decides not to burden the two categories. Earlier service tax was introduced on passenger and freight in the general budget but was kept hold due to opposition by the erstwhile Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. The exemption has been postponed since then.
This time the finance minister finally decided to levy service tax on freight and AC rail travel. Presently the freight and passenger fares enjoy 70% subsidy.
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