Railways opposed to any reduction in its workforce: Lalu

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today said he had dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, informing him that the Railways was opposed to any reduction in its 1.4-million-strong workforce.

''During the NDA government, there was a proposal to reduce the workforce by 20 per cent in alls ectors of the economy. I have written to the Prime Minister that the Railways could do without any such reduction,'' Mr Prasad told reporters here.

Pointing out that the Railways was in an expansion and modernisation mode, the minister said there was no need to reduce the workforce, which had played a monumental role in achieving the turnaround of the government's biggest department.

Mr Prasad said there was a need to upgrade the skills of the Railway employees. Also, given the plans like the Dedicated Freight Corridor and other expansion and modernisation plans, the Railways would like to retain its worforce.

''I wrote the letter to the Prime Minister a fortnight ago, informing him that the plan for a 20 per cent reduction in the workforce in various sectors of the economy, as mooted by the previous NDA government, should not be implemented in the Railways,'' he added.

UNI