Central Railway Chief PRO Transferred After RTI Reveals PM Selfie Booths Cost (image: twitter.com/MasterxGogo)
Central Railway”s (CR) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Shivraj Manaspure has been transferred on December 29, without giving any notice. Reportedly, Officer has not been given any reason behind the transfer nor provided information about the new posting.
Recently, Shivraj Manaspure has gave reply to an RTI inquiry and revealed the cost of the 3D selfie Booths or 3D selfie points of Prime Minister Narendra Modi installed at railway stations.
Took charge in May, Shivraj Manaspure in his position as CPRO is in charge of collaborating with the media on railway issues. He has been replaced by Swapnil D Nila. Generally, the tenure of CR”s CPRO continues two years and Shivraj has been in the position for just seven months.
Prior to the transfer order, the Railway board had sent an advisory urging all GMs and DRMs to exercise caution while handling information under RTI Act. Besides, the advisory underlined that the RTI pleas handled by the zonal railways and other field units showed decline in quality.
Ajay Bose, a social activist from Amravati district lodged an RTI application with five Railway zones – Central Railway, Western Railway, Southern Railway, Northern Railway, and North Western Railway, requesting information about the cost of the installation of PM selfie points. He has received several responses, but except Central Railway, none of the divisions gave proper answer concerning the cost of the 3D selfie booths. Central railway division under Shivraj Manaspure replied in detail about the number of selfie booths installed and cost incurred. As per the reply, for erecting selfie booths or selfie points of Prime Minister, Rs. 1, 25,000 to Rs. 6,25,000, excluding taxes has been incurred for each installation. The information sparked row by the Congress.
Self-obsessed promotion by Modi Govt knows NO bounds!
Absolutely brazen waste of taxpayers money by installing Modi ji’s 3D selfie points at Railway Stations. (RTI Reply)
Earlier, the blood and sacrifice of our brave soldiers was politically used by ordering the Armed Forces… pic.twitter.com/HEYo8OqmOo
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 26, 2023
Railway sources responded to Times of India that Manaspure was awarded by Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on December for special initatives to advance earnings, tackle ticketless travel and thefts during his term as senior divisional commercial manger at Bhusawal division. He was honoured as the best performing railway personnel for promoting best practices among employees, TOI reported.
