Seems mostly being done to get as much revenue as possible. Fares in all these long distance trains are way higher as compared to regular times. And generally runs with full occupancy. I guess railways trying to maximise as much as possible and avoid situations like last year.
However I agree in the process of doing this intra state passengers have been left in the lurch. Same situation seems to be in other places as as well, KL, TN, Pune-Mumbai etc. Daily passengers in these places have also been emanding resumption of local/passenger trains