Mamata welcomes probe into bribes by US firmsOctober 14th, 2009 KOLKATA - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday welcomed the government's decision to look into the issue of bribes paid by some US firms to Indian government officials. "I welcome the initiative taken up by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Railways to send relief to flood-hit states free of costOctober 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Indian Railways Wednesday said it would transport for free relief material to flood ravaged places in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The railway minister (Mamata Banerjee) has taken this major humanitarian gesture as a special case with a view to facilitate movement of relief material to flood affected areas for the benefit of millions of people marooned by the recent floods in these two states, the Indian Railways said in a statement.
Communists are conspiring against the railways: MamataSeptember 13th, 2009 KOLKATA - Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday alleged that West Bengal's ruling Communists are "conspiring" against the Indian Railways and said "they will be responsible if any accident occurred". "The CPI-M is constantly conspiring against the railways.
Railways expert committee to submit report next weekAugust 21st, 2009 KOLKATA - The expert committee, set up by Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee to explore ways to promote partnership between the railways and industries, will submit its initial report next week, committee chairman Amit Mitra said here Friday. "The opportunities that are there in the form of low hanging fruits have been identified (in the report)," Mitra, also the secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), said during an interactive session between Banerjee and industrialists.
Mamata sanctions Rs.35 mn for theatre complexAugust 12th, 2009 KOLKATA - Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday named an Eastern Railway (ER) open theatre after Bengali theatre icon Sambhu Mitra and sanctioned Rs.35 million for the overall development of the amphitheatre as a cultural platform in Kolkata's twin district Howrah. "Indian Railways have at least 1.4 million staff and we've schools, colleges for the children of our employees.
West Bengal keen to develop small industries on railway landAugust 5th, 2009 KOLKATA - The West Bengal government Wednesday requested Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee to hand over the excess railway land to the state government for developing small and medium-scale industries. "We, on behalf of the department for state cottage and small-scale industries, sent a letter to Mamata Banerjee, requesting her to hand over the excess land of the railways to the state government.
Railways to fill 1.7 lakh vacant postsJuly 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Despite the slowdown that has seen job cuts across sectors, the Indian Railways will fill 1.7 lakh vacant posts after reviewing the recruitment process, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee said Friday. The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) will review the hiring process and address regional aspirations and problems witnessed during recruitment in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Assam, Banerjee told the Rajya Sabha.
Mamata making railways East India Company: BJPJuly 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday asked Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee "not to make Indian Railways an East India Company and alleged that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has favoured West Bengal at the cost of many other states in the rail budget. "India is not (West) Bengal.
Mamata taking railways into non-core areas: JaitleyJuly 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley Tuesday criticised Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee for taking the Indian Railways into "non-core areas", and said that will threaten its economical and social viability. "The fundamental principle of any efficient management is to concentrate on core area of competence and ignore all non-essential and non-core activities," Jaitley said while participating in a discussion on the railway budget in the Rajya Sabha.
Left Front criticises privatisation thrust in railway budgetJuly 3rd, 2009 KOLKATA - Terming it a "mixed' railway budget, West Bengal's ruling Left Front chairman Biman Bose criticised the privatisation schemes introduced in the new budgetary plans by Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday. "It's a mixed budget and the thrust is on more and more privatisation.
Railways to step up freight businessJuly 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday proposed several steps, including launch of a premium service for container movement with assured transit time, to improve the freight movement on railways. Presenting her ministry's budget for 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha, Banerjee said besides improving the freight movement of its regular cargo like coal, iron ore, cement, fertilisers and food grain, the railways will take measures to increase the share of new items like automobiles and fly ash.
'Very competent' job by Mamata in short time: PMJuly 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Praising Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee's budget Friday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said she had done a "very competent job" and had not just ensured that there was no burden on the passengers but also taken care of their safety. Banerjee had done a "very competent job in a short period of time.
From now, women commandos to be deployed on trainsJuly 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian Railways will deploy women security personnel and increase their number in the proposed commando battalions, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee said in the railways budget presented in parliament Friday. The women Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel will be deployed to ensure security of women passengers, particularly on routes where a large number of them travel alone regularly, Banerjee said while presenting the budget.
Mamata announces special trains for Ajmer Sharif, PuriJune 14th, 2009 HOWRAH - The Indian Railways will run 66 pairs of special trains carrying pilgrims to Puri in Orissa for the June 24 Rathyatra festival, railways minister Mamata Banerjee said here Sunday. The railways will also run special trains between Sealdah in Kolkata and Rajasthan's Ajmer Sharif, which houses the mausoleum of sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, on June 25 and June 26 for the celebration of the Urs or annual pilgrimage.
Mamata takes charge, spells out thrust areas (Lead)May 26th, 2009 KOLKATA - Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee, who broke convention Tuesday to take charge of her portfolio here instead of the national capital, identified the speedy completion of eastern freight corridor as being crucial to her scheme of things. "The eastern freight corridor between Kolkata and Ludhiana is very important and will be completed very soon," said Banerjee, adding: "It's very important for the development of four states - West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab."
Also, the Bihar-Howrah express train, which was renamed as Kandari Express, will be made a daily train.
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