'PM Modi brought railways back on track from policy paralysis under UPA'

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday hit out at the opposition for picking holes on the functioning of his ministry, saying Indian Railways was reeling under "policy paralysis" during the UPA regime but it was put back on track after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.

Replying to a discussion on demands for grants for the railway ministry for 2022-23 in Lok Sabha, the minister slammed the opposition members for calling the government's proposals as "propaganda" and "mungeri laal ke haseen sapne" (fanciful dreams).

He listed a number of initiatives taken by the government under Modi to bring the Indian Railways back on track from what he termed "policy paralysis" during the UPA regime, and said capital investment, which was one of the main problems, increased to over Rs 95,000 crore in 2019 from Rs 45,980 crore in 2014.

For 2022-23, there is a record allocation of Rs 2.45 lakh crore, he said.

"It is easier said than done. (TMC member) Kalyan Banerjee was listing the targets fixed and achieved (by ministry). Rithesh Pandey ji (of BSP) said mungeri laal ke haseen spne hain," he said.

He said that he takes opposition members' suggestions "very seriously" but they should talk with facts.

He highlighted his ministry's various achievements, including those related to electrification of railways and freight corridor, presenting facts and figures in the House.

"These are hard facts, actual achievements. Is this a propaganda?" he asked and hit out at the opposition, saying that the "problem with them is something else. This is the problem with their party. While our prime minister is working day and night to build the nation, nobody knows when and where their leaders go on vacation".