Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Defends Railway Improvements in Lok Sabha
New Delhi, August 1: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw criticized the opposition in the Lok Sabha, stating, “We don’t make reels, we do hard work unlike you people who make reels to show off.” He emphasized the Narendra Modi government’s efforts to improve the working conditions of loco pilots by amending rules in 2016.
Vaishnaw explained that the average working and rest times of loco pilots were decided by a rule from 2005, which was amended in 2016 to provide more facilities. He noted that all 558 running rooms were made air-conditioned and over 7,000 loco cabs were also air-conditioned, compared to none previously.
The minister was responding to a July 9 post by the Congress, where Rahul Gandhi interacted with loco pilots and highlighted their poor working conditions. Vaishnaw urged parliament members to avoid politicizing railway issues, calling the railway the lifeline of India and essential for the economy.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for their support and financial allocations to the railway. Vaishnaw also expressed gratitude to the 12 lakh railway workers who operate over 20,000 trains daily.
Doubts Revealed
Railway Minister -: The Railway Minister is the person in charge of the railways in India. Right now, that person is Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Ashwini Vaishnaw -: Ashwini Vaishnaw is a politician in India who is responsible for the railways. He makes sure trains run smoothly and safely.
Lok Sabha -: The Lok Sabha is one part of India’s Parliament where important decisions and laws are made. It’s like a big meeting room for leaders.
Narendra Modi -: Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India. He is the leader of the country and makes important decisions.
Loco pilots -: Loco pilots are the people who drive trains. They make sure the trains go to the right places safely.
2016 amendments -: In 2016, some changes were made to improve the facilities for train drivers, like giving them air-conditioned rooms to rest in.
Air-conditioned running rooms -: These are special rooms where train drivers can rest. They have air conditioning to keep the room cool.
Loco cabs -: Loco cabs are the front part of the train where the driver sits and controls the train.
Depoliticize -: Depoliticize means to keep something free from political arguments. It means focusing on the real issues instead of fighting over politics.
Modernization -: Modernization means making something new and better. For railways, it means using new technology and ideas to improve trains and stations.
PM Modi -: PM Modi is short for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leader of India.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman -: FM Nirmala Sitharaman is the Finance Minister of India. She takes care of the country’s money and budget.
