Ministers of Indian Railway 1947 to 2024, List, Name and Background

The compilation of Railway Ministers in India holds significant relevance in various competitive government examinations like SSC, Banking, and State PSC exams. This article provides an exhaustive list of the individuals who have served as Railway Ministers in India, serving as a valuable study aid for exam preparation. Delve into this comprehensive list to enhance your general awareness and stay abreast of the notable personalities who have played pivotal roles in overseeing the nation’s railway sector.

Latest on Indian Railways

First Female Chairman of the Railway Board

Jaya Varma Sinha is the current Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board of the Indian Railways. She joined office on 1st September 2023, becoming the first female chairman of the Railway Board in its 118-year history. She has been appointed Chairperson of the Railway Board which is the highest decision-making body within the Railway Ministry of India.

Who is Jaya Varma Sinha?

What is Indian Railways?

Established on May 6, 1836, Indian Railways (IR) is a government agency operating under the Ministry of Railways, entrusted with the task of managing India’s extensive railway system. Renowned for employing one of the world’s largest workforces, Indian Railways boasts the fourth-largest railway network globally, covering 126,511 kilometers (78,610 miles) as of December 31, 2021. Of this, 45,881 kilometers (28,509 miles) or 35% of the broad-gauge routes have been electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz AC electric traction as of April 1, 2021.

Railway Minister of India

Who is the Railway Minister of India 2024

The Railway Minister of India in 2024 is Ashwini Vaishnaw. He is also the Minister of Communications, Electronics & Information Technology in the Government of India. Vaishnaw was born in 1972 in Chennai, India. He did his B.Tech from IIT Kharagpur and his MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He worked as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley and McKinsey & Company before entering politics.

Vaishnaw was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Odisha in 2019. He was appointed the Railway Minister in July 2021. He has focused on improving the efficiency and safety of the Indian Railways. He has also launched a number of new initiatives, such as the Vande Bharat Express trains and the Gati Shakti project. Vaishnaw is a popular figure in India, and he is known for his efficiency and his commitment to his work. He is widely respected for his efforts to improve the Indian Railways.

Current Railway Minister of India

The current Railway Minister of India is Ashwini Vaishnaw. He also handles the Ministry of Communications, Electronics & Information Technology in the Indian government. Born in 1972 in Chennai, India, he studied engineering at IIT Kharagpur and earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Before his political career, he worked as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley and McKinsey & Company.

Who is Union Railway Minister?

The Railway Minister, with cabinet rank, oversees Indian Railways. In the past, they presented the separate Railway Budget in Parliament before it was merged with the general budget. In case the Railway Minister’s position is vacant, the Prime Minister temporarily takes charge of the role.

Background of Railway Ministers of India

• In the Central Government, The first Indian Minister of Railways was Asaf Ali.  He was on the post from  2 September 1946 to 14 August 1947. Even though India was still under British rule at the time, the position of railways minister had not been clearly defined.
• Ashwini Vaishnav is currently India’s minister of railways. The transportation minister’s yearly presentation of the railway budget has changed since 2017 when it was combined with the Union budget.

List of Railways Ministers of India from 1947- 2024

The list of Railways Ministers of India includes the name of all Union Railways Ministers in India since Independence.

List of Ministers Of State In The Ministry of Railways

Minister of Railway of India

The Ministry of Railways of India is a government ministry that undertakes the country’s rail transportation. The railway ministry supervises, manages, and controls the Indian Railways. It is a statutory corporation that acts as a rail transportation monopoly. The ministry is led by the Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board. The Ministry of Railways and the Board are set up in Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, and was founded in 1905.

Ministry of Railway Department and Establishment

India got its first train for transporting granite for road building. The Godavari Dam Construction Railway was built in Rajahmundry to supply stone for the construction of a dam over the Godavari River in 1845. In 1851, the Solani Aqueduct Railway was built in Roorkee to transport construction materials for an aqueduct over the Solani River.

First Railway Minister of India

John Mathai was the first railway minister of independent India. He was an eminent economist and member of the Indian National Congress Party. He also presented the first railway budget of independent India in 1948 as the finance minister for two years. Furthermore, Mathai was the first Chairman of the State Bank of India when it was set up in 1955. He was also the first President of the Governing Body of India’s first independent economic policy institute, the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) in New Delhi, which was founded in 1956. From 1955 to 1957, he was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mumbai, and then from 1957 to 1959, he was the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kerala.

First Woman Railway Minister of India

The first female Minister of Railways in India was Mamata Banerjee. She served as minister from 1999 until 2001. She served again as Railway Minister from 2009 until 2011.

The first woman in the Indian Railway was Surekha Yadav who made an impressionable mark in a historically male operating field as she achieved the distinction of becoming India’s first female train driver.

Ministry of Railway Board

The Railway Board serves as the executive arm of the Ministry of Railways in India and is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Indian Railways. The board is headed by the chairman, preferably an IAS. The Board basically helps in formulating policies and plans for the development and operation of the Indian Railways. It also approves budgets and oversees expenditures to ensure the efficient use of resources. The Board establishes guidelines and standards to maintain a high level of safety across the railway network. The Board also addresses public grievances related to railway services, ensuring an easy redressal mechanism. It is responsible for the smooth operation, growth, and development of the Indian railways that connect people and goods across the country.

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