New Delhi, Jul 26 (PTI) More than 3.30 lakh people were penalised and a fine of around Rs 5.13 crore was recovered from them in 2022-23 and 2023-24 fiscals for littering and spitting on railway premises, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Congress MP Neeraj Dangi had asked the railway minister to give "details of the amount spent on the prevention and cleaning of gutkha stains by the railways during the last two years" and details of "action taken by the government against people who spread such filth and the amount of penalty recovered from them".

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"Cleanliness is a continuous process and every endeavour is made to keep railway premises in properly maintained and clean condition. Awareness campaigns are in force to make passengers aware for not making railway premises dirty and no specific details regarding gutkha related campaigns are maintained," Vaishnaw said in a written reply.

"Spitting and littering is prohibited in railway premises. Such other activities which create unclean and unhygienic conditions in railway premises are also prohibited. Persons involved in littering are subjected to fines as per the extant rules."

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According to the railway minister, "During the financial year 2022-23 and 2023-24, around 3,30,132 persons had been penalized and a fine of around Rs 5.13 crore had been recovered for littering and spitting."

At present, there is no proposal to increase the amount of fines related to spitting and littering, he added.

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