NEW DELHI: With Lok Sabha elections around the corner, the Indian Railways has decided to publicise socio-economic schemes like ‘Ujjwala Yojana’ and the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ (PMJDY), among others, launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government on train coaches and platforms, Railways ministry officials who were familiar with the matter said.
The decision comes at a time when the Centre is gearing up for the general elections in 2019. With the Indian Railways carrying over 2.2 crore people every day, publicising the schemes at platforms and stations could get them a captive audience.
Chairman Railway Board Ashwani Lohani wrote to general managers of all zones last month empowering them to offer advertising space at a fixed rate in trains and on platforms. The Board sent a reminder to these managers this month to take initiative to get in touch with “Central and State government institutions”, said a ministry official.
Chief secretaries of states and Union territories have been contacted with offers on hoardings in the circulating areas of railway stations at subsidized rates, said the official.
“According to the plan, the Railways has decided to offer Rs 25 lakh per year per rake for EMU/DMU/MEMU (different kinds of trains) and a fixed rate of Rs 50 lakh per year per rake for other trains. It was decided that trains which are not EME/DMU/MEMU, could be offered for vinyl wrapping only on the area under the windows of the side walls,” said another top official.