In what comes as a good news for a certain set of passengers, Indian Railways has decided to grant 50 per cent concession to them. Railways said that the step has been taken to facilitate the travel of youth participants of “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” program. It said that 50 per cent concession will given in basic fares of Second/Sleeper Class to youths with earnings/emoluments of not more than Rs 5000 per month for travelling from one state to another state to take part in ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ programme.

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The Railways has made it clear that this concession will be provided on production of requisite certificate in the prescribed railway format from the Secretary of concerned Department of Human Resource Development of various States. Those who are willing to avail the benefit, will have to submit the certificate to the authorized officers of the railway concerned, namely the Chief Commercial Manager, the Divisional Commercial Manager etc.

These officers will then issue them the concession orders on presentation of which only the Station Master will clear the concession for them. Certificates will not be issued to those whose travelling expenses are to be borne by the Central or State Government or a local body or statutory or a Corporation or a Government Undertaking or a University.

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Also, the concession is admissible only in the normal train services and not for booking of special trains, coaches. The concessional return journey tickets may also be issued on payment of one single journey fares of second/Sleeper class Mail/Express fares to persons travelling over 300 Kms from the journey commencing station to the station serving the place of the festival.

The Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme was started to help states and union territories (UTs) to learn the culture of each other. Under this program, states and UTs have been paid and made to sign MoUs with each other, delineating a set of activities that they would carry out.

The pairing of the states and UTs is for a period of one year.