**Policy Summary: Outsourcing of Railway Printing Operations**
This document summarizes the Ministry of Railways' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1724, addressed on July 30, 2025, concerning the proposed closure of railway printing presses and the potential outsourcing of printing operations.
The Ministry of Railways has decided to close its printing presses due to digitization and a decreasing demand for printed materials. This decision impacts the production of items such as Money Value Forms and UTS/PRS tickets.
To mitigate potential risks associated with outsourcing, the Ministry has issued broad guidelines mandating that the printing of tickets and money value items be conducted by security printers approved by the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The rationale for closing the rail presses is based on the diminishing requirement for printing, despite the reported cost-effectiveness and efficiency of five Rotateck machines purchased in 2014 from Barcelona, Spain, which were used for printing UTS and PRS tickets under the supervision of trained railway staff.
The Ministry of Railways aims to ensure the security and cost-efficiency of railway operations by relying on IBA/RBI-approved security printers, addressing concerns about potential increased financial burden and reduced oversight compared to the current in-house system. The policy is overseen by the Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The government ministry responsible for railway operations.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD: Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question.
Money Value Forms: Systematic paper documentation used in railway operations.
Rotateck: The manufacturer of machines used for printing UTS and PRS tickets.
Barcelona, Spain: The city and country where the Rotateck machines were purchased from.
UTS and PRS tickets: Unreserved Ticketing System and Passenger Reservation System tickets.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology.
Indian Banks AssociationReserve Bank of India: Association and central bank of India whose approved security printers are being considered.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1724
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025
SYSTEMATIC PAPER DOCUMENTATIONS
1724. SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the manner in which the Government intends to address potential risks
like fraud and inefficiencies if the printing of these documents is
outsourced, considering the reliance of railway operations on systematic
paper documentation such as Money Value Forms;
(b) the reasons for proposed closure of rail presses in light of the fact
that five Rotateck machines in rail presses, purchased in 2014 from
Barcelona, Spain, have proven cost-effective and efficient for printing UTS
and PRS tickets under the supervision of trained railway staff; and
(c) the details of the measures taken by the Government to ensure the
security and cost-efficiency of railway operations if reliance on
outsourced printing presses increases, potentially leading to increased
financial burden and reduced oversight compared to the current in-house
system?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (c): Due to digitization and diminishing requirement of printing,
Ministry of Railways have decided to close the printing presses. Broad
guidelines have been issued in this regard which include printing of
tickets and money value items from Indian Banks’ Association/Reserve
Bank of India approved security printers.
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