A holding company to take over most of the Railway’s public sector units will be formed soon, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said at the General Manager’s conference here on Thursday.

On December 3, SBI Caps had made a presentation to the Railway Board suggesting a holding company of all Railway public sector units. The Railways has several public sector units of which only one is a listed entity — Container Corporation of India. The others include Ircon, RITES, Railtel and IRFC. Holding companies are usually formed to capture value. “This year’s targets not only have to be met but have to be exceeded,” Prabhu said.

Calling for a right pricing policy, Prabhu said: “At the micro level, we should see how the competition is faring. We, therefore, have to properly make our pricing policy for both passenger and freight traffic. And at the same time, we have to keep the long term interest of Railways in mind.”

Expressing concern over inadequate freight loading, Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Railways, said “we have to work hard to meet our targets” , adding that “we have already developed Deen Dayalu Coaches for the common man and now need to expedite introduction of Antyodya Express Trains”.

Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain said modernisation of the Railways was a joint responsibility of all officers/officials who need to work as a team, adding that officers would have to focus on all those measures that can term it as the best department of the country.