Indian Railway

SAFETY NEVER SLEEPS

"While performing our duties in the length and breadth of the country, we should always be alert to maintain the highest level of safety and security of Indian railways. I always believe that 'safety never sleeps'. It is our bouden duty not to compromise on safety standards and to ensure security of the travelling millions of fellow countrymen" - Mamata Banerjee to Indian Railways' family members

RAILWAY ZONES

Central
Eastern
Northern
Northeast Eastern
North Frontier
Southern
South Central
South Eastern
Western Railway
East Central
North Western
East Coast
South Western
North Central
West Central
South East Central
Metro Railway

SHE is back on rails. After about eight years since she resigned as India's second women Railways minister of India on March 16, 2001 during the regime of BJP-led NDA government. Mamata Banerjee's comeback this time is with a stronger political strength of her party All India Trinamool Congress that bagged as much as 19 seats in the 15th Parliamentary election this year. This time her return to Central Cabinet is as a partner of the Congress(I)-led UPA government under the leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh.

An astute politician Mamata Banerjee, chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), is back on rails. For the second time she has become India’s Railways Minister, this time of the Congress(I)-led UPA government. Earlier, in 1999 after joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government she became the second woman Railway Minister of country. Earlier, Mohsina Kidwai was the Minister of Transport for a brief period in 1986 which included Ministry of Railways. In 2000, Mamata Banerjee presented her first Railway Budget. On March 16, 2001 she resigned as the Railway minister.

She was recently re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha on her 7th term from Kolkata (Dakshin) constituency in West Bengal.

Born on 5th January, 1955 in Kolkata, Banerjee has obtained degrees of M.A., B.Ed and LL.B. as well as Trained in Work Education. She earlier also held the Railway portfolio as Union Cabinet Minister during 13th October 1999 to 16th march 2001. During her long parliamentary career, she was member of various important parliamentary committees and held several government social and political posts.

Banerjee was the General Secretary of Mahila Congress (I), West Bengal, from 1976 to 1980. In 1984, she was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha for the first time in 1985 she became a member of the committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. She became General Secretary, Indian National Congress (I) in the year 1986. In 1990 she was the President of Youth Congress, West Bengal. In 1991, she was re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha and became Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Department of Youth Affairs and Sports; and Women and Child Development). In 1996, she was re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha and was the Member, Committee on Home Affairs and Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs.

In 1997, she founded All India Trinamool Congress and was elected its Chairperson. In 1998, she was re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha and was Chairman Committee on Railways. In 1999, she was re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha and became Union Cabinet Railway Minister and later served as the Union Cabinet Minister of Coal and Mines. She was re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha in 2004.

Benerjee is connected with different social and human rights organizations to promote the welfare of poor, children and women; providing free legal aid to the poor and; organizing various health camps for mothers and children.

She has authored a number of books on various themes in Bengali and English which include, Upalabdhi, Ashani Shanket Janatar Darbare, Maa, Pallabi, Manavik, Motherland, Crocodile Island, Trinamool, Sishu Sathi, Anubhuti, Struggle for Existence. Abishasya, Janmaini, Ekantee, Struggle for Existence, Abhisaso, Andolaner Kolkata, Ek Guchcha Bhavna, Smile, Jago Bangla, Anasan Keno, Langer, Gantantra Lazza, Salaughter of Democracy, Ajob Chora and Ma-Matee-Manush. Her love for music, songs, painting and art is also well known.

She has widely travelled to various countries and represented India in UN General Assembly; as a woman parliamentarian at World Women Round Table Conference held at Russia and Woman Youth Conference at Vietnam. She also attended the Working Women Conference of ILO and ICFTU at Kuala Lumpur.

Banerjee will present the Railway Budget for fiscal year 2009-10 in Parliament on July 3, 2009.

Immediately after assuming her responsibility as the Railways minister she has called upon the railways family members "to provide 'service with a smile'. Railways are committed to protect and nurture the commercial interest, but it has to be done with a 'human face'. A large number of initiatives are being taken by the railways for strengthening and modernizing network and infrastructure. We have to work together to enhance all out improvement in the functioning of the railways through innovative means. I would welcome suggestions on how to improve our own performance in different spher4es of activities of the railways. I believe that every suggestion is important and useful.

Our determined efforts will be to keep enhancing passenger amenities and comforts to a higher level, both in trains and on railway stations.

While performing our duties in the length and breadth of the country, we should always be alert to maintain the highest level of safety and security of Indian railways. I always believe that 'safety never sleeps'. It is our bounden duty not to compromise on safety standards and to ensure security of the traveling millions of fellow countrymen."

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Updated on June 16, 2009