Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently said the Government of India has ushered in “performance-based politics,” replacing vote-bank approaches, while highlighting major improvements in the rail sector over the past decade.
Replying to a debate on the Ministry of Railways’ Demand for Grants in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Vaishnaw said the financial health of Indian Railways has strengthened significantly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He noted that nearly 99% of railway tracks, about 47,000 km, have been electrified, resulting in savings of around ₹6,000 crore. He also announced the development of what he described as the world’s most powerful hydrogen train.
The Minister added that record allocations in the Union Budget will benefit all states and boost infrastructure growth. Participating in the discussion, MPs raised varied concerns and views. Satabdi Roy highlighted the lack of pantry services in 341 trains and called for better hygiene standards, while Rajmohan Unnithan flagged delays in projects in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Shrikant Shinde and Malvika Devi praised modernization efforts, including Vande Bharat trains and safety systems. Over 210 Lok Sabha members participated in the discussion.
