Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-10-years-india-adds-31-000-km-rail-network-equal-to-all-of-germany-5675673
Publisher: NDTV
New Delhi:
Union Minister for Railways, Communications and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw has reeled out data to showcase transformative changes in the Indian Railways in the past 10 years of the Modi government while also highlighting its neglect during Congress-led regimes.
Addressing the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Mumbai, the Union Minister gave a detailed account of how the Railways, seen and treated as ‘milch cow’ in previous regimes witnessed all-round development under the Modi government.
In his detailed presentation, leaving the audience mesmerised, the Minister informed how the Railways added a huge tranche of networks and underwent wide-scale electrification and modernisation, so much so, that the developed economies are finding it tough to match steps with India.
“Modi government has made a sincere effort to indigenously develop Vande Bharat trains, rather than importing the modern units from developed economies,” he said.
Stating that Vande Metro is included in the first 100-day programme of the Modi government’s third term, he elaborated that the next few years will see transformational change after the roll-out of the Vande Bharat series.
“Vande Metro (connecting two cities), Vande Chair car (covering cities within 500 km distance) and Vande Sleeper (connecting cities over 500 km) will enhance comfortable travel while waiting tickets will be completely done away with,” said the Union Minister.
He also said that India is set to emerge as a global hub in semiconductor manufacturing and telecom services and will see generational change in years to come.
Highlighting the tectonic shift in mobile manufacturing, the Minister informed, “10 years ago, 98 per cent of mobile phones were imported, today 99 per cent of mobile phones are Made in India.
He added that mobile manufacturing remained non-existent during previous regimes, today India is emerging as a global hub of mobile manufacturing and export.
“Apple exported phones worth 8,500 crore in April alone and is slated to grow exponentially in years to come,” he informed.
The Union Minister, citing an example of a girl from Bihar said that today youngsters are re-writing the growth story of India.
