Statement

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state: (a) the details of major initiatives and programmes undertaken by the Department of Space to support and improve the agriculture sector in the country along with their objectives, timelines, financial outlays and current status of implementation; (b) whether space-based technologies, satellite data services and decision- support systems have been developed or deployed for crop monitoring, yield estimation, weather advisory and resource management and if so, the details thereof along with the manner in which these integrated with Central and State agencies; (c) the measurable and expected impact of these initiatives/interventions on crop productivity, farmers’ income, agricultural planning and forecasting 18.03.2026 272 and rural development; and (d) whether any evaluation studies or impact assessments have been conducted in this regard and if so, the details thereof? THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SPACE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH): (a) : The ISRO/DoS has undertaken several space-based programmes to support the agriculture sector. Major initiatives include the Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agrometeorology and Land-based observations (FASAL) programme, National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS), Coordinated Horticulture Assessment and Management using Geoinformatics (CHAMAN) programme, Space technology Utilization for Food security AgricuLtural Assessment and Monitoring (SUFALAM) project, and various collaborative programmes with State and other agencies. Details of some of the recent projects are given in Statement. (b) : ISRO/DoS has developed and contributed in development of techniques and tools for crop monitoring, yield estimation and resources management. Details of recent techniques and tools developed are as follows: 18.03.2026 273  Crop monitoring: An AI-based crop mapping tool named ‘SASYA’ has been developed for C-band SAR from EOS-04 (RISAT-1A) and integrated into BHOONIDHI geo-portal of NRSC/ISRO. This tool has been made open to operational agencies, including MNCFC, DoA&FW.  Agricultural productivity and Yield Estimation: ISRO/DoS has developed a Smart sampling technique for improving the Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE) locations to improve the crop yield estimation under Yield Estimation System based on Technology (YES-TECH) initiative of PMFBY. Further, ISRO/DoS has contributed in development of crop yield simulation models including semi-physical model and machine learning based model to reduce the dependence on manual CCEs in the process of crop insurance payouts under PMFBY. These techniques are transferred to MNCFC, DoA&FW for operational implementation.  Yield Estimation: ISRO/DoS has developed an automated geospatial crop estimation system (GeoCrEST) for crop yield estimation. The GeoCrEST system is operationally implemented on VEDAS geoportal of ISRO for the utilisation by MoA&FW.  Drought Assessment and Monitoring: ISRO/DoS in collaboration with the MoA&FW and State agencies has developed National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS). The drought 18.03.2026 274 assessment and monitoring system is transferred to MNCFC, DoA&FW for operational implementation.  Satellite Data-service: As per Indian Space Policy-2023 the remote sensing data from Indian satellite missions is made open and free for all government users. Further, remote sensing data coarser than 5m spatial resolution is provided free and open to all users. ISRO/DoS is providing the free services of C-band SAR data of EOS-04 missions to MNCFC, DoA&FW for operational crop mapping. Further, high-resolution satellite imagery for 13 States were provided, as part of the Agristack Project, to strengthen digital infrastructure in agriculture.  Natural Resource Management: As part of the National Agricultural Land Use Mapping programme, annual (1:250K) and quinquennial (1:50K) and decadal (1:10K) land cover and land use datasets for land use planning, food security, and environmental assessments are being generated by ISRO/DoS to support the natural resource management activities in the country.  Value-added agro-meteorological products: ISRO/DoS operationally generates and disseminates through VEDAS geoportal (vedas.sac.gov.in), seven value-added agro-meteorological products to six Agro-Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) covering more than 85 districts and 500 blocks under Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS). 18.03.2026 275 (c) : The use of space-based agricultural monitoring systems has shown positive impact in terms of:  Improved estimation of crop acreage and production  Identification of suitable areas for crop and horticulture expansion  Agriculture drought monitoring for timely reporting  Improved risk assessment and claim settlement in crop insurance through objective satellite-based methodologies.  Space technology intervention in YES-TECH of PMFBY led to decrease in premium rate from 17% to 12%. Moreover, the claims of more number of farmers were settled using space technology blend than with only CCEs, especially under natural calamities. The YES-TECH system also brought transparency in claim settlement through evidence-based decision making. (d) : Evaluation and validation studies are periodically carried out for various space-based agricultural applications in collaboration with the MoAandFW, State Governments, and Research Institutions. These include accuracy assessments of crop acreage and validation of satellite-based yield estimates. A socio-economic survey in Parbhani, Maharashtra conducted by Space Applications Centre, ISRO for Kharif season of 2022-23 showed the usage of satellite products in the advisory improved the productivity soybean and cotton farms by 2-5% with reduction of input cost by 5-10%. 18.03.2026 276 STATEMENT SPACE-BASED INITIATIVES FOR AGRICULTURE Project Information Status Title: Crop Intensification Completed Objectives: Mapping rice fallow in six eastern states Timeline: 2016-19 Financial Outlay: 112 Lakhs funded by MoAFW Title: CHAMAN (Coordinated Horticulture Assessment and Management using Geoinformatics) Completed Objectives: Satellite based estimation of area of major horticultural crops in selected districts. Timeline: Phase-I (2012–2016) Financial Outlay: Implemented jointly with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under programme funding. Title: Bioenergy from Crop Residues (Remote Sensing Based Assessment) Completed Objectives: Assessment of crop residue generation and spatial availability for bioenergy applications using satellite data and geospatial modelling. Timeline: 2018-2021 Financial Outlay: 21 Lakhs, Funded by DST Title: Crop Insurance Decision Support System – Odisha Currently operational at Odisha. Objectives: Development of geospatial decision support tools for crop insurance including crop area mapping, smart sampling for CCEs and yield estimation support using satellite data. Timeline: 2018–2020 Financial Outlay: Implemented through collaborative project funding with 18.03.2026 277 Project Information Status Government of Odisha. Title: Crop Insurance Support– West Bengal Operational in West Bengal under Bango Sasya Beema Yojna Objectives: Use of remote sensing and geospatial analytics for crop area mapping, yield estimation support and composite yield index development to strengthen crop insurance implementation. Timeline: 2017-2021 Financial Outlay: Supported through collaborative project with Government of West Bengal. Title: MahaAgriTech Project (Maharashtra) Operational decision support system developed; satellite-based crop information being generated Objectives: Development of geospatial platform for agricultural monitoring including crop mapping, crop condition monitoring, yield assessment and disaster impact assessment using satellite data and analytics. Timeline: 2021- Ongoing. Financial Outlay: Implemented through collaborative project funding with Government of Maharashtra Title: MP-AgriGIS (Madhya Pradesh) System under operational implementation with generation of crop maps, sown area progression and analytical products for the state. Objectives: Development of a comprehensive geospatial agricultural information system including crop mapping, sown area monitoring, yield estimation and digital agriculture support for state-level planning. Timeline: 2023- Ongoing Financial Outlay: Implemented through collaborative project funding with Government of Madhya Pradesh. Title: Space technology Utilization for Food security AgricuLtural Assessment and Monitoring (SUFALAM Phase-II) Ongoing 18.03.2026 278 Project Information Status Objectives: Crop Production and Price Forecasting, Precision Agriculture, Value-Added Decision Support Systems for advisory and drought assessment Timeline: December 2024 to November 2027 Financial Outlay: 15 Cr., Funded by DoS Title: India Potato Crop Monitoring (IPCM) Ongoing Objectives: To develop a geospatial India Potato Crop Monitoring System with a dashboard for automated potato yield estimation using the remote sensing and in-situ data. Timeline: 2026 - March 2028 Financial Outlay: 258 Lakhs, Funded by MoAandFW Title: National System for Geospatial Crop Yield Estimation using Satellite Remote Sensing based Semi-Physical Model (FASAL 2.0) Ongoing Objectives: To develop a geospatial yield estimation system with a dashboard for automated crop yield estimation using the remote sensing based semi-physical model. Total number of targeted crops are 10. Timeline: 2024- March 2029 Financial Outlay: 340.52 Lakhs funded by MoAandFW Title: Applications of Space Techniques for Agricultural Assessment in North Eastern Region (ASAAN) Completed: winter Rice acreage in NER estimated during 2022, 2023 and 2024 Objectives: Satellite-based crop acreage estimation and cropping pattern analysis, crop site-suitability and fallow area mapping. Timeline: 2022–2025 18.03.2026 279 Project Information Status Financial Outlay: 260 Lakhs, Funded by MoDONER/NEC. Title: Space-based Support for Integrated Development of Horticulture in NER (SSDIH) Completed: suitability analysis completed for 52 districts in NER. Objectives: Identification of suitable areas for expansion of horticultural crops (across NER), site suitability of post- harvest infrastructure (priority districts), geo-tagging of horticultural infrastructure (priority districts) and acreage estimation (priority crops and districts). Timeline: 2022–2025 Financial Outlay: 240 Lakhs, Funded by MDoNER/NEC राजÖथान म¤ úाम पंचायतŌ म¤ ऑिÈटकल फाइबर िबछाया जाना 4169. ®ी बृजेÆþ िसंह ओलाः ³या संचार मंýी यह बताने कì कृपा कर¤गे िकः (क) ³या भारतनेट के आंकड़Ō म¤ िबछाए गए ऑिÈटकल फाइबर (िकलोमीटर म¤) और ÿचालनशील इंटरनेट सेवाओं वाली úाम पंचायतŌ कì सं´या म¤ कोई अंतर पाया गया है; (ख) यिद हां, तो राजÖथान म¤ उन úाम पंचायतŌ कì सं´या िकतनी है जहां ऑिÈटकल फाइबर िबछाया जा चुका है परÆतु इंटरनेट सेवाएं अभी तक सिøय नहé हòई ह§; (ग) ³या िजला Öतरीय आंकड़Ō से झुंझुनू िजले म¤ सेवा सिøयण म¤ िवलंब का संकेत िमलता है; और (घ) ³या ऐसे मामलŌ म¤ अंितम-छोर तक संपकª और ÿचालन सहायता के िलए क¤þीय बजट म¤ कोई ÿावधान िकया गया है और यिद हां, तो तÂसंबंधी Êयौरा ³या है? úामीण िवकास मंýालय म¤ राºय मंýी; तथा संचार मंýालय म¤ राºय मंýी (डॉ. चंþ शेखर पेÌमासानी): 18.03.2026 280 (क) से (ग) : सभी úाम पंचायतŌ (जीपी) को āॉडब§ड कनेि³टिवटी ÿदान करने के िलए भारतनेट पåरयोजना को चरणबĦ तरीके से कायाªिÆवत िकया जा रहा है। भारतनेट चरण-I और चरण-II के तहत देशभर म¤ 7,19,241 िकलोमीटर ऑिÈटकल फाइबर केबल (ओएफसी) िबछाई गई है और 2,14,921 úाम पंचायत (जीपी) सेवा ÿदान करने के िलए तैयार हो चुकì ह§। राजÖथान म¤, झुंझुनू िजले के 301 úाम पंचायतŌ (जीपी) सिहत 8,746 जीपी को 30,662 िकलोमीटर ओएफसी िबछाकर भारतनेट के तहत सेवा ÿदान करने के िलए तैयार िकया गया है और 57,570 फाइबर टू द होम (एफटीटीएच) कने³शन ÿदान कर िदए गए ह§। (घ) : सरकार Ĭारा संशोिधत भारतनेट कायªøम के तहत, úामीण úाहकŌ को वहनीय होम फाइबर कने³शन देने हेतु भारतनेट के माÅयम से 1.5 करोड़ होम फाइबर कने³शन ÿदान करने के िलए सिÊसडी का ÿावधान िकया गया है। REVIEW OF SUBSIDY UNDER PM-KUSUM 4170. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI: will the minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has reviewed the existing subsidy provision under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM) which currently extends financial assistance for installation of standalone solar agricultural pumps up to a capacity of 7.5 HP particularly in areas where groundwater levels are significantly deep and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government proposes to permit installation of higher-capacity solar pumps in regions with low groundwater availability to ensure effective irrigation access for farmers and if so, the details thereof; 18.03.2026 281 (c) whether the Government has undertaken any assessment regarding the affordability of solar pumps particularly for small and marginal farmers; (d) if so, the steps taken to promote research and development aimed at reducing the cost of solar pumping systems through innovations in design, materials and efficiency; and (e) whether any financial support mechanisms are being extended to encourage indigenous manufacturing, start-ups and research institutions to develop cost-effective solar pump technologies and if so, the details thereof? THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF POWER; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK): (a) and (b) : PM-KUSUM guidelines have a provision to address over- exploitation of ground water by solar pumps. As per the scheme guidelines, new pumps are not permitted to be installed in Dark zone/Black zone/ over-exploited areas notified by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). However, existing standalone diesel pumps, can be converted into standalone solar pumps in these areas provided they use micro irrigation techniques to save water. No proposal is under consideration for revision of subsidy amount under PM-KUSUM Scheme as the sunset date of the scheme is 31.03.2026. (c) : Under Component B of PM KUSUM scheme, Central Financial Assistance of 30% (or 50% for North Eastern Region/Hilly region/Islands) of the 18.03.2026 282 benchmark cost or tender rates, whichever is lower, is provided. The states are also providing a minimum of 30% state share and rest up to 40% to be borne by the farmer. However, the PM KUSUM scheme is covered under Agricultural Infrastructure Fund, which provides easy financing at 6%. With current diesel cost of around Rs 87 per litre, and assuming consumption of 4.6 litres per day (for 5 HP pumps), the farmer can achieve the breakeven in a year. (d) and (e) : PM KUSUM Scheme mandates the use of indigenously manufactured solar panels with indigenous solar cells under Component-B and Component-C. The scheme guidelines also allow for innovative solar pumps, to be adopted under the scheme provisions. The proposed innovations need to undergo field demonstration and lab testing through NISE. अमरोहा म¤ डाक और संबĦ सेवाएं 4171. ®ी कंवर िसंह तंवर: ³या संचार मंýी यह बताने कì कृपा कर¤गे िक : (क) ³या सरकार ने उÂतर ÿदेश के अमरोहा िजले म¤ डाक और संबĦ सेवाओं को सुŀढ़ करने के िलए डाकघरŌ के आधुिनकìकरण, डाक तंý के माÅयम से ब§िकंग एवं बीमा सेवाओं के िवÖतार और नागåरकŌ के िलए पåरदान समय म¤ सुधार जैसे उपाय िकए ह§; (ख) यिद हां, तो सरकार Ĭारा उ³त िजले म¤ िपछले तीन वषŎ के दौरान डाकघर अवसंरचना, डाक ब§िकंग सेवाओं, िडिजटल सेवा एकìकरण, डाक गितिविधयŌ के माÅयम से रोजगार सृजन और सेवा कवरेज के उÆनयन के संबंध म¤ कì गई पहलŌ का Êयौरा ³या है; और (ग) यिद नहé, तो इसके ³या कारण ह§? 18.03.2026 283 úामीण िवकास मंýालय म¤ राºय मंýी; तथा संचार मंýालय म¤ राºय मंýी (डॉ. चंþ शेखर पेÌमासानी): (क) और (ख) : जी हां, िपछले तीन वषŎ के दौरान, अमरोहा िजले म¤ दो (02) शाखा डाकघरŌ और दो (02) उप डाकघरŌ म¤ अवसंरचना उÆनयन का कायª िकया गया है। अगÖत, 2025 म¤ अमरोहा िजला सिहत भारत के सभी डाकघरŌ म¤ कायªÿणाली को सुचाł बनाने हेतु उÆनत डाक ÿौīोिगकì (एपीटी) आईटी 2.0 को लागू िकया गया है। अमरोहा िजले म¤ सभी ÿधान डाकघरŌ, उप डाकघरŌ और शाखा डाकघरŌ Ĭारा डाकघर बचत ब§क (पीओएसबी) संबंधी सेवाएं ÿदान कì जा रही ह§, जो कोर ब§िकंग समाधान (सीबीएस) Èलैटफ़ॉमª पर कायª करती ह§ और आधुिनक ब§िकंग कì सेवाएं ÿदान करती ह§। इन सेवाओं म¤ ऑटोमेटेड टेलर मशीन (एटीएम) कì सुिवधा, ÿÂय± लाभ अंतरण (डीबीटी) भुगतान, इंटरनेट ब§िकंग, मोबाइल ब§िकंग, राÕůीय इलै³ůॉिनक िनिध अंतरण (एनइएफटी)/åरयल टाइम úॉस सेटलम¤ट (आरटीजीएस), Âवåरत ÿितिøया (³यूआर) कोड के माÅयम से भुगतान, इंिडया पोÖट पेम¤ट्स ब§क (आईपीपीबी) – डाकघर बचत ब§क िलंकेज के माÅयम से ई-पासबुक कì सुिवधा और यूिनफाइड पेम¤ट इंटेरफेस (यूपीआई) शािमल ह§। इसके अितåरĉ, िपछले तीन वषŎ के दौरान, अमरोहा िजले के िविभÆन डाकघरŌ म¤ 61 (इकसठ) úामीण डाक सेवकŌ (जीडीएस) को िनयोिजत िकया गया है; इस ÿकार िजले म¤ डाक गितिविधयŌ और सेवा कवरेज के माÅयम से रोजगार सृजन िकया गया है। (ग) : उपयुªĉ (क) और (ख) को Åयान म¤ रखते हòए ÿij नहé उठता। UPGRADATION OF PASSENGER SAFETY MEASURES 4172. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether the modernisation initiative has been planned to upgrade 18.03.2026 284 passenger safety measures in the country particularly signalling systems and station infrastructure and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government is enhancing the capacity of dedicated freight corridors to meet growing industry demand and reduce congestion on passenger routes and if so, the details thereof; and (c) whether new express/semi–high-speed trains introduced/being introduced on high-demand routes to improve connectivity and travel efficiency and if so, the details thereof? THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS; MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW): (a) to (c) : Safety is accorded the highest priority on Indian Railways. As a consequence of various safety measures taken over the years, there has been a steep decline in the number of accidents. Number of Consequential Train Accidents has reduced as shown in the table below:- Year Consequential Accidents 2014-15 135 2025-26 (upto 28.02.2026) 14 (90% lesser) Another important index showing improvement in safety in train operations is Consequential Accident Index, the details of which are as under:- 18.03.2026 285 Consequential Accident Index:- Year Accident Index 2014-15 0.11 2024-25 0.03 (73% lesser) This index measures number of consequential accidents as a ratio of total running kilometers of all trains. Accident Index = The various safety measures taken to enhance safety in train operations are as under:- 234 165 135 55 31 14 2005-06 2009-10 2014-15 2019-20 2024-25 2025-26 (Feb 2026) No. of Consequential Train Accidents No. of consequential accidents No. of trains X million kilometers run 18.03.2026 286 1. On Indian Railways, the expenditure on Safety related activities has increased over the years as under:- Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.) 2013-14 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 39,200 87,336 1,01,662 1,14,022 1,17,693 1,20,389 2. Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation of points and signals have been provided at 6,665 stations up to 28.02.2026 to reduce accidents due to human failure. 3. Interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) Gates has been provided at 10,153 Level Crossing Gates up to 28.02.2026 for enhancing safety at LC Gates. 4. Complete Track Circuiting of stations to enhance safety by verification of track occupancy by electrical means has been provided at 6,669 stations up to 28.02.2026. 5. Detailed instructions on issues related with safety of Signalling, e.g. mandatory correspondence check, alteration work protocol, preparation of completion drawing, etc. have been issued. 6. System of disconnection and reconnection for SandT equipment as per protocol has been re-emphasized. 7. All locomotives are equipped with Vigilance Control Devices (VCD) to improve alertness of Loco Pilots. 8. Retro-reflective sigma boards are provided on the mast which is located two OHE masts prior to the signals in electrified territories to alert the crew about the signal ahead when visibility is low due to foggy weather. 18.03.2026 287 9. A GPS based Fog Safety Device (FSD) is provided to loco pilots in fog affected areas which enables loco pilots to know the distance of the approaching landmarks like signals, level crossing gates, etc. 10. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, Prestressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with elastic fastening, fan shaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges is used while carrying out primary track renewals. 11. Mechanisation of track laying activity through use of track machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc. to reduce human errors. 12. Maximizing supply of 130m/260m long rail panels for increasing progress of rail renewal and avoiding welding of joints, thereby improving safety. 13. Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) testing of rails to detect flaws and timely removal of defective rails. 14. Laying of longer rails, minimizing the use of Alumino Thermic Welding and adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e., Flash Butt Welding. 15. Monitoring of track geometry by OMS (Oscillation Monitoring System) and TRC (Track Recording Cars). 16. Patrolling of railway tracks to look out for weld/rail fractures. 17. The use of Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossing in turnout renewal works. 18. Inspections at regular intervals are carried out to monitor and educate 18.03.2026 288 staff for observance of safe practices. 19. Web based online monitoring system of track assets viz. Track database and decision support system has been adopted to decide rationalized maintenance requirement and optimize inputs. 20. Detailed instructions on issues related with safety of Track, e.g. integrated block, corridor block, worksite safety, monsoon precautions, etc. have been issued. 21. Preventive maintenance of railway assets (Coaches and Wagons) is undertaken to ensure safe train operations. 22. Replacement of conventional ICF design coaches with LHB design coaches is being done. 23. All unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) on Broad Gauge (BG) route have been eliminated by January 2019. 24. Safety of Railway Bridges is ensured through regular inspection of Bridges. The requirement of repair/rehabilitation of Bridges is taken up based upon the conditions assessed during these inspections. 25. Indian Railways has displayed Statutory “Fire Notices” for widespread passenger information in all coaches. Fire posters are provided in every coach so as to educate and alert passengers regarding various Do’s and Don’ts to prevent fire. These include messages regarding not carrying any inflammable material, explosives, prohibition of smoking inside the coaches, penalties etc. 26. Production Units are providing Fire detection and suppression system in newly manufactured Power Cars and Pantry Cars, Fire and Smoke detection 18.03.2026 289 system in newly manufactured coaches. Progressive fitment of the same in existing coaches is also underway by Zonal Railways in a phased manner. 27. Regular counselling and training of staff is undertaken. 28. Concept of Rolling Block introduced in Indian Railways (Open Lines) General Rules vide Gazette notification dated 30.11.2023, wherein work of integrated maintenance/ repair/replacement of assets is planned up to 52 weeks in advance on rolling basis and executed as per plan. The details of the Safety related works related to better maintenance practices, Technological improvements, better infrastructure and rolling stock etc. undertaken by Railways are tabulated below:- S.N. Item 2004-05 to 2013-14 2014-15 to 2024-25 2014-25 Vs. 2004-14 Technological Improvements 1. Use of high-quality rails (60 Kg) (Km) 57,450 Km 1.43 Lakh Km More than 2 times 2. Longer Rail Panels (260m) (Km) 9,917 Km 77,522 Km Nearly 8 times 3. Electronic Interlocking (Stations) 837 Stations 3,691 Stations More than 4 times 4. Fog Pass Safety Devices (Nos.) As on 31.03.14: 90 Nos. As on 31.03.25: 25,939 Nos. 288 times 5. Thick Web Switches (Nos.) Nil 28,301 Nos. Better Maintenance Practices 1. Primary Rail Renewal (Track Km) 32,260 Km 49,941 Km 1.5 times 2. USFD (Ultra Sonic Flaw detection) Testing of Welds (Nos.) 79.43 Lakh 2 Crore More than 2 times 3. Weld failures (Nos.) In 2013-14: 3699 Nos. In 2024-25: 370 Nos. 90 % reduction 4. Rail fractures (Nos.) In 2013-14: 2548 Nos. In 2024-25: 289 Nos. More than 88% reduction 18.03.2026 290 Implementation of Kavach: 1. Kavach is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. Kavach is a highly technology intensive system, which requires safety certification of highest order (SIL-4). 2. Kavach aids the Loco Pilot in running of trains within specified speed limits by automatic application of brakes in case Loco Pilot fails to do so and also helps the trains to run safely during inclement weather. 3. The first field trials on the passenger trains were started in February 2016. Based on the experience gained and Independent Safety Assessment of the system by Independent Safety Assessor (ISA), three firms were approved in 2018-19, for supply of Kavach Ver 3.2. 4. Kavach was adopted as National ATP system in July, 2020. 5. Implementation of Kavach System involves following Key Activities:  Installation of Station Kavach at each and every station, block section.  Installation of RFID Tags throughout the track length. Better Infrastructure and Rolling stock 1. New Track KM added (Track Km) 14,985 Km 34,428 Km More than 2 times 2. Flyovers (RoBs)/Underpasses (RUBs) (Nos.) 4,148 Nos. 13,808 Nos. More than 3 times 3. Unmanned Level crossings (Nos.) on BG As on 31.03.14: 8,948 As on 31.03.24:Nil (All eliminated by 31.01.19) Removed 4. Manufacture of LHB Coaches (Nos.) 2,337 Nos. 42,677 More than 18 times 18.03.2026 291  Installation of telecom Towers throughout the section.  Laying of Optical Fibre Cable along the track.  Provision of Loco Kavach on each and every Locomotive running on Indian Railways. 6. Based on deployment of Kavach version 3.2 on 1465 RKm on South Central Railway and experience gained, further improvements were made. Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024. 7. Kavach version 4.0 covers all the major features required for the diverse railway network. This is a significant milestone in safety for Indian Railways. Within a short period, IR has developed, tested and started deploying Automatic Train Protection System. 8. Major improvement in Version 4.0 includes increased Location Accuracy, Improved Information of Signal Aspects in bigger yards, Station to Station Kavach interface on OFC and Direct Interface to existing Electronic Interlocking System. With these improvements, Kavach Ver.4.0. is planned for large scale deployment over Indian Railways. 9. After extensive and elaborate trials, Kavach Version 4.0 has been successfully commissioned on 1452 Route Kilometres, covering the high density Delhi- Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes as below: 18.03.2026 292 SN Section Progress (Route Km) (1) Delhi-Mumbai route: i Junction cabin – Palwal – Mathura –Nagda section 667 ii Vadodara - Ahmedabad section 96 iii Vadodara - Virar section 336 (2) Delhi – Howrah route: i Gaya Sarmatanr section 93 ii Chota Ambana - Bardhaman – Howrah section 260 10. Further, track side Kavach implementation work has been taken up on 24,427 RKM covering all GQ,GD,HDN and identified sections of Indian Railways. 11. Progress of key items of Kavach on High density routes including Delhi– Mumbai and Delhi– Howrah corridors as on 14.03.2026 are as under: S Item Progress i Laying of Optical Fibre Cable 8570 Km ii Installation of Telecom Towers 1100 nos iii Station Data Centre 767 station iv Installation of Track side equipment 6776 RKm v Provision of Kavach in Loco 4211 nos 12. The sections mentioned above also includes sections which pass 18.03.2026 293 through states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. 13. In addition, work for installation of Kavach in 8979 Locomotives and 1200 EMU/MEMU has been taken up. 14. Specialized training programmes on Kavach are being conducted at centralized training institutes of Indian Railways to impart training to all concerned officials. By now more than 55,000 technicians, operators and engineers have been trained on Kavach technology. This includes about 47,500 Loco Pilots and Assistant Loco Pilots. Courses have been designed in collaboration with IRISET. 15. The cost for provision of Track Side including Station equipment of Kavach is approximately Rs. 50 Lakhs/Km and cost for provision of Kavach equipment on locomotives is approximately Rs. 80 Lakh/Loco. 16. The funds utilized on Kavach works so far up to Feb'26 is Rs. 2,763.90 Crores. The allocation of funds during the year 2025-26 is Rs. 1673.19 Crores. Requisite funds are made available as per the progress of works. Amrit Bharat Station Scheme: Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach. The scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations. The master planning 18.03.2026 294 includes:  Improvement of access to station and circulating areas  Integration of station with both sides of city  Improvement of station building  Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths  Provision of wider foot over bridge/air concourse commensurate with passenger traffic  Provision of lift/escalators/ramp  Improvement /Provision of platform surface and cover over platforms  Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’  Parking areas, Multimodal integration  Amenities for Divyangjans  Better passenger information systems  Provision of executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station. The scheme also envisages sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term. 18.03.2026 295 So far, 1,338 stations have been identified for development under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Completed stations: Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme have been taken up at a good pace. Till now, works have been completed at 180 stations. Names of stations completed so far are as following: Alnavar, Amb Andaura, Ambikapur, Amgaon, Anandpur Sahib, Anara, Angamali For Kaladi, Ayodhya Dham, Badami, Bagalkot, Baijnath Paprola, Balrampur, Bantawala, Barabhum, Baramati, Bareilly City, Baripada, Barmer, Barpali, Begumpet, Beohari, Bhanupratappur, Bhilai, Bhind, Bijnor, Bimalgarh, Bommidi, Bundi, Chanda Fort, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chennai Park,Chhindwara, Chidambaram, Chinchpokli, Chinna Salem, Chirayinkeezh, Cuttack, Dakor, Derol, Deshnoke, Devlali, Dharwad, Dhule, Dongargarh, Fatehabad, Fatehpur, Fatehpur Shekhawati, Ferok, Gadag, Gangapur City, Godda, Godhra Jn., Gogameri, Gokak Road, Gola Gokarnath, Gomti Nagar, Govardhan, Govind Garh, Govindpuri, Govindpur Road, Hafizpeta, Haibargaon, Haldia, Hapa, Harpalpur, Hathras City, Hodal, Idgah Agra Jn., Izzatnagar, Jaisalmer, Jam Jodhpur, Jam Wanthali, Joychandi Pahar,Junnor Deo, Kakinada Town, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kamakhyaguri, Kanalus Jn., Karaikkudi Jn., Karamsad, Karimnagar, Katni South, Kedgaon, Khairthal, Khambhaliya, Khalilabad, Koppal, Kosamba Jn., Kulitturai, Kuttipuram, Lasalgaon, Limbdi, Lohardaga, Lonand Jn., Mahe, Mahuva, Mailani, Mandal Garh, MandawarMahwa Road, Madhupur, 18.03.2026 296 Mambalam, Manaparai, Mandi Dabwali, Mangalagiri, Mannargudi, Matunga, M.C.S. Chhatarpur, Mithapur, Morappur, Morbi, Muktsar, Munirabad, Muri Jn., Murtizapur Jn., Nainpur Jn., Nandura, Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Itwari Junction, Nidadavolu Jn., Nilambur Road, Okha, Orchha, Palitana, Panagarh, Panki Dham, Parel, Parlakhemundi, Pirpainti, Piska, Pokhrayan, Pollachi Jn., Polur, Porbandar, Rajgarh, Rajmahal, Rajula Jn., Ramagundam, Ramghat Halt, Rayanpadu, Saharanpur Jn., Sahibzada Ajit Singh Mohali, Sahebgunj, Samakhiyali, Samalpatti, Sanchi, Sankarpur, Savda, Seoni, Shahad, Shajapur, Sholavandan, Shoranur Jn., Shridham, Siddharth Nagar, Sihor Jn., Siuri, Sri Bala Brahmeswara Jogulamba, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St.Thomas Mount, Sullurpeta, Suraimanpur, Swaminarayan Chappia, Talcher, Tamluk, Thawe, Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruvannamalai, Tripunithura, Tuni, Ujhani, Urkura, Utran, Vadakara, Vadala Road, Vidisha,Vriddhachalam Jn., Wadakancheri, Warangal. The activities for development at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the above stations is as given below: • Tirupati station: The structural framework of new second entry station building on South side, 2 nos. air concourses and sewage treatment plant have been completed. The finishing works of new second entry station building on South side and air concourses, structural work of station building on North side, platform shelter, lift, escalator etc. have been taken 18.03.2026 297 up. • Nellore station: The structural framework, brickwork and plastering of station building on both East and West sides have been completed. The finishing works of station building on both East and West side and air concourse, extension work of subway, parking, water tanks and sewage treatment plant have been taken up. • Bangalore Cantonment station: The works of diversion road on South side, training centre, hostel on North side, electric substation building have been completed. The works of South side station building, North side station building, circulating area and Foot Over Bridge have been taken up. • Kota Junction station: The structural works of front departure hall, front arrival hall and rear side station building have been completed. The finishing works of front departure hall, rear side station building, air concourse, through roof, circulating area have been taken up. • Bhubaneshwar station: The structural work of new station building at East and West side and air concourse have been completed. The structural work of elevated driveway at East and West side station, extension of Foot Over Bridge and platform shelter have been taken up. The finishing works of new station building at East and West side, works of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing), HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and escalators have been taken up. Further, development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation 18.03.2026 298 of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and availability of funds. Development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of a station is carried out based on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc. Development / Upgradation of railway stations is complex in nature involving safety of passengers and trains and requires various statutory clearances such as fire clearance, heritage, tree cutting, airport clearance etc. The progress also gets affected due to brownfield related challenges such as shifting of utilities (involving water/sewage lines, optical fibre cables, gas pipe lines, power/signal cables, etc.), infringements, operation of trains without hindering passenger movement, speed restrictions due to works carried out in close proximity of tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors affect the completion time. Further, development / upgradation / modernization of stations including Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is generally funded under Plan Head–53 ‘Customer Amenities’. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head–53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise or station-wise or state-wise. The fund allocation of ₹ 12,120 crore has been made for the financial year 2025-26 under Plan Head–53 and expenditure (up to February, 2026) of ₹ 11,892 crore has been incurred so far. Dedicated Freight Corridors 18.03.2026 299 Ministry of Railways has taken up construction of two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) viz. Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) from Ludhiana to Sonnagar (1337 Km) and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri (1506 Km). The work on EDFC has been completed and commissioned. In WDFC, 1404 RKm out of total 1506 RKm has been completed and commissioned. The balance work on WDFC from Vaitarna-JNPT section (102 Rkm) has been taken up. DFC has contributed to creating additional paths on the conventional network by diverting freight traffic to EDFC and WDFC. Presently, 443 average trains per day are being run on these corridors. A New Dedicated Freight Corridor i.e., Dankuni - Surat, has been announced by the Govt. of Bharat in the Budget 2026.The work of preparation/updation of DPR for the DFC has been assigned to DFCCIL. Alignment and Financing model are under finalisation. Vande Bharat (Chair Car), Vande Bharat (Sleeper), Amrit Bharat Trains,Namo Bharat Rapid Rail Indian Railways (IR) constantly endeavours to augment the travelling facilities for the passengers inter alia by introducing new train services. Indian Railways, during the period during 2020-2021 to 2025-2026 (upto Feb, 2026), introduced 1078 new train services on its network. These services include 158 Vande Bharat (Chair Car) services, 02 Vande Bharat 18.03.2026 300 (Sleeper) services, 54 Amrit Bharat services and 04 Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services. Indian Railways, with a view to improve travel experience of the passengers, have introduced indigenously designed and manufactured Vande Bharat trains with modern coaches, advanced safety features and passenger amenities. These new Vande Bharat Chair Car Trains have the following features: ● Jerk Free Semi-Permanent couplers. ● Fitted with KAVACH ● Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways. ● Emergency Alarm Push buttons and Talk Back Units on all Coaches. ● Improved fire safety – Aerosol based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets and lavatories. ● Higher acceleration with design/operating speed of 180/160 KMPH. ● Driver-Guard communication with voice recording facility and Crash hardened memory. ● Air conditioning units provided with indigenously developed UV-C lamp based disinfection system for deactivating 99% harmful bacteria from conditioned air to improve the hygiene standards inside the passenger area. ● Better Ride Comfort. 18.03.2026 301 ● CCTVs in all Coaches. ● For Divyangjan passengers special lavatory in the driving coaches on each end. ● Coach condition monitoring System (CCMS) display with remote monitoring As on 12.03.2026, the following 162 Vande Bharat train services (Chair Car) are being operated on the Indian Railways network. Train No. and Name 22435/22436 New Delhi - Varanasi Vande Bharat Express 22439/22440 Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - New Delhi Vande Bharat Express 20901/20902 Gandhinagar Capital - Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express 22447/22448 Amb Andura - New Delhi Vande Bharat Express 20607/20608 Mysuru - MGR Chennai Central Vande Bharat Express 20825/20826 Nagpur - Bilaspur Vande Bharat Express 22301/22302 New Jalpaiguri - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 20833/20834 Secunderabad - Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express 22223/22224 Sainagar Shirdi - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (T) Vande Bharat Express 22225/22226 Solapur - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (T) Vande Bharat Express 20171/20172 Nizamuddin - Rani Kamlapati Vande Bharat Express 20701/20702 Tirupati - Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express 18.03.2026 302 20643/20644 Coimbatore - Chennai Vande Bharat Express 20977/20978 Chandigarh - Ajmer Vande Bharat Express 20633/20634 Thiruvananthapuram- Kasargod Vande Bharat Express 22895/22896 Puri - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 22457/22458 Dehradun - Anand Vihar Vande Bharat Express 22227/22228 Guwahati - New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express 20911/20912 Nagpur - Indore Vande Bharat Express 22229/22230 Madgaon - Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (T) Vande Bharat Express 22349/22350 Ranchi - Patna Vande Bharat Express 20661/20662 Dharwar - Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express 20173/20174 Rewa - Rani Kamlapati Vande Bharat Express 22549/22550 Gorakhpur - Prayagraj Vande Bharat Express 12461/12462 Sabarmati - Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express 22925/22926 Okha - Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express 20665/20666 Tirunelveli - Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express 20677/20678 Narsapur - Chennai Vande Bharat Express 18.03.2026 303 20703/20704 Yesvantpur - Kacheguda Vande Bharat Express 20631/20632 Thiruvananthapuram- Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express 26963/26964 Udaipur - Asarva Vande Bharat Express 22347/22348 Patna - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 20835/20836 Puri - Rourkela Vande Bharat Express 20897/20898 Ranchi - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 22415/22416 New Delhi - Varanasi Vande Bharat Express 20641/20642 Coimbatore - Bengaluru Cant Vande Bharat Express 20645/20646 Mangaluru - Madgaon Vande Bharat Express 20705/20706 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (T) - Nanded Vande Bharat Express 22477/22478 Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - New Delhi Vande Bharat Express 22425/22426 Anand Vihar - Ayodhya Cantt. Vande Bharat Express 22487/22488 Amritsar - Delhi Vande Bharat Express 22962/22961 Mumbai Central - Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express 20707/20708 Visakhapatnam - Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express 20663/20664 Chennai - Mysuru Vande Bharat Express 18.03.2026 304 22233/22234 Patna - New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express 22470/22469 Khajuraho - Nizamuddin Vande Bharat Express 22231/22232 Bengaluru - Kalburagi Vande Bharat Express 20841/20842 Visakhapatnam - Bhubaneswar Vande Bharat Express 22345/22346 Gomti Nagar - Patna Vande Bharat Express 20887/20888 Varanasi - Ranchi Vande Bharat Express 22545/22546 Dehradun - Lucknow Jn Vande Bharat Express 22490/22489 Varanasi - Meerut City Vande Bharat Express 20627/20628 Nagercoil - Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express 20671/20672 Bengaluru Cantt - Madurai Vande Bharat Express 22500/22499 Deoghar - Varanasi Vande Bharat Express 22309/22310 Jamalpur - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 20871/20872 Rourkela - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 20893/20894 Patna - Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express 20892/20891 Tatanagar - Brahmapur Vande Bharat Express 22303/22304 Gaya - Howrah Vande Bharat Express 18.03.2026 305 20669/20670 Pune - Hubballi Vande Bharat Express 20673/20674 Pune - Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj (T) Vande Bharat Express 20101/20102 Secunderabad - Nagpur Vande Bharat Express 20829/20830 Visakhapatnam - Durg Vande Bharat Express 21893/21894 Patna - Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express 21895/21896 Patna - Tatanagar Vande Bharat Express 20176/20175 Banaras - Agra Cantt. Vande Bharat Express 26901/26902 Veraval - Sabarmati Vande Bharat Express 26401/26402 Srinagar - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express 26403/26404 Srinagar -Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express 26502/26501 Patliputra - Gorakhpur Vande Bharat Express 26751/26752 KSR Bengaluru - Belagavi Vande Bharat Express 26406/26405 Amritsar - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express 26101/26102 Pune - Ajni Vande Bharat Express 26302/26301 Jogbani - Danapur Vande Bharat Express 26481/26482 Delhi Cantt - Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express 18.03.2026 306 26471/26472 Delhi Cantt - Bikaner Vande Bharat Express 26462/26461 Delhi - Firozpur Cantt. Vande Bharat Express 26651/26652 Ernakulam - KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express 26506/26505 Khajuraho - Banaras Vande Bharat Express 26504/26503 Saharanpur - Gomtinagar Vande Bharat Express Further, to cater to long distance travel, IR has introduced the sleeper variant of Vande Bharat Express. Presently, 2 Vande Bharat Sleeper services are in operation on the Indian Railway network. Train No. and Name 27575/27576 Howrah - Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express Broad Technological advancements and safety features provided in the Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains are as below: ● Jerk-Free Semi permanent couplers and Anti Climbers. ● Fitted with KAVACH. ● Higher acceleration with design/operating speed of 180/160 KMPH. ● Crashworthy Design of Car body complying with EN standards. ● Fire barrier doors at the end of each coach for compliance of Fire Safety standards. 18.03.2026 307 ● Aerosol based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets and lavatories. ● Regenerative braking system for energy efficiency. ● Air conditioning units provided with indigenously developed UV-C lamp based disinfection system for deactivating 99% harmful bacteria from conditioned air to improve the hygiene standards inside the passenger area. ● Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways. ● CCTVs in all coaches. ● Emergency talk-back unit for communication between Passenger and Train Manager/Loco Pilot in case of emergency. ● For Divyangjan passengers special lavatory in the driving coaches on each end ● Centralized Coach Monitoring System for better condition monitoring of passenger amenities such as Air conditioning, Saloon Lighting etc ● Ergonomically designed ladder for ease of climbing on to upper berths. Railways have developed fully non-AC modern train named as Amrit Bharat express. Presently, 58 services are in operation. These modern trains comprise of 11 General Class coaches, 8 Sleeper Class coaches, 01 Pantry car and 02 Luggage cum Divyangjan coaches. 18.03.2026 308 Train No. and Name 11015/11016 Lokmanya Tilak (T) - Saharsa Amrit Bharat Express 13697/13698 Gaya - Delhi Amrit Bharat Express 15293/15294 Muzaffarpur - Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express 15557/15558 Darbhanga - Anand Vihar (T) Amrit Bharat Express 15561/15562 Darbhanga - Gomtinagar Amrit Bharat Express 15567/15568 Bapudham Motihari - Anand Vihar (T) Amrit Bharat Express 22361/22362 Rajendranagar (T) - New Delhi Amrit Bharat Express 13433/13434 SMVT Bengaluru - Malda Town Amrit Bharat Express 13435/13436 Malda Town - Gomtinagar Amrit Bharat Express 15133/15134 Chhapra - Anand Vihar (T) Amrit Bharat Express 14047/14048 Sitamarhi - Delhi Amrit Bharat Express 14627/14628 Saharsa - Chheharta Amrit Bharat Express 19623/19624 Madar - Darbhanga Amrit Bharat Express 16601/16602 Erode - Jogbani Amrit Bharat Express 19021/19022 Udhna - Brahmapur Amrit Bharat Express 15671/15672 Kamakhya - Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express 20609/20610 New Jalpaiguri - Tiruchchirappalli Amrit Bharat Express 16597/16598 SMVT Bengaluru - Alipurduar Amrit Bharat Express 18.03.2026 309 11031/11032 Panvel - Alipurduar Amrit Bharat Express 16107/16108 Tambaram - Santragachi Amrit Bharat Express 13065/13066 Howrah - Anand Vihar (T) Amrit Bharat Express 22587/22588 Sealdah - Banaras Amrit Bharat Express 20603/20604 New Jalpaiguri - Nagercoil Amrit Bharat Express 15949/15950 Dibrugarh - Gomti Nagar Amrit Bharat Express 16121/16122 Tambaram - Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express 16329/16330 Nagercoil - Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express 17041/17042 Charlapalli - Thiruvananthapuram North Amrit Bharat Express 16619/16620 Podanur - Dhanbad Amrit Bharat Express 16357/16358 Nagercoil - Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express These trains have following enhanced features and amenities: ● Better aesthetics of seat and berths with enhanced look and feel on the lines of Vande Bharat Sleeper. ● Jerk Free Semi-Automatic Couplers. ● Improved Crashworthiness in coaches by provision of crash tube. ● Provision of CCTV system in all coaches. 18.03.2026 310 ● Improved designs of toilets. ● Improved design of Ladder for ease of climbing on to the berth. ● Improved LED Light fitting and Charging Sockets. ● Provision of EP assisted braking system. ● Aerosol based fire suppression system in toilets and electrical cubicles. ● USB Type-A and Type-C mobile charging sockets. ● Emergency Talk Back system for two-way communication between Passenger and Guard/Train Manager. ● Non-AC pantry with enhanced heating capacity. ● Fully sealed gangways with quick release mechanism for easy attachment and detachment. Namo Bharat Rapid Rail has been introduced to enhance the travelling experience of suburban and regional commuters for inter-city short distance movement by harnessing the features of Vande Bharat Trains. Presently, 4 Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services are in operation on the Indian Railway network. Train Number and Name 94801/94802 Ahmedabad-Bhuj Namo Bharat Rapid Rail 94803/94804 Jaynagar-Patna Namo Bharat Rapid Rail The prominent features of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail are as follows: 18.03.2026 311 ● Centrally controlled Double Leaf Automatic Sliding Doors. ● CCTVs for safety and passenger surveillance. ● Modular interior with Cushioned Seats and Sealed Flexible Gangway. ● Emergency Talk back System. ● Continuous LED lighting with Energy Efficient Lighting system. कोयला संिवतरण नीित 4173. ®ी इमरान मसूदः ³या कोयला मंýी यह बताने कì कृपा कर¤गे िक: (क) ³या सरकार ने वषª 2025-26 के दौरान तापीय िवīुत संयंýŌ को घरेलू कोयले कì आपूितª सुिनिIJत करने के िलए िकसी नई संिवतरण नीित का कायाªÆवयन िकया है; (ख) यिद हां, तो उĉ नीित के अंतगªत कोयले कì आपूितª के िलए िवīुत संयंýŌ कì ÿाथिमकता िकस ÿकार िनयत कì गई है; (ग) ³या इस नीित म¤ रेल और अÆय पåरवहन अवसंरचना को सुŀढ़ करने के िलए िवशेष ÿावधान िकए गए ह§; (घ) यिद हां, तो तÂसंबंधी ÿगित का Êयौरा ³या है; और (ङ) ³या सरकार कोयला आपूितª ®ृंखला म¤ िडिजटल िनगरानी ÿणाली कायाªिÆवत कर रही है और यिद हां, तो तÂसंबंधी Êयौरा ³या है? कोयला मंýालय म¤ राºय मंýी; तथा खान मंýालय म¤ राºय मंýी (®ी सतीश चंþ दुबे): (क) और (ख) : सरकार ने िदनांक 07.05.2025 को िवīुत ±ेý को कोयला आवंटन के िलए भारत म¤ पारदशê łप से कोयला (कोल) का दोहन और आवंटन करने के िलए संशोिधत Öकìम 18.03.2026 312 [शिĉ] नीित को मंजूरी दी, िजसे कोयला मंýालय Ĭारा िदनांक 20.05.2025 को जारी िकया गया था। संशोिधत शिĉ नीित, 2025 शिĉ नीित, 2017 के ÿावधानŌ और वषª 2019 और 2023 म¤ इसके बाद के संशोधनŌ का अिधøमण करती है। संशोिधत शिĉ नीित, 2025 ÖवािमÂव अथाªत् स¤ůल जेनको, Öटेट जेनको और Öवतंý िवīुत उÂपादक (आईपीपी) पर Åयान िदए िबना सभी िवīुत उÂपादकŌ के िलए पारदशê तरीके से कोयला िलंकेज ÿदान करना सुिनिIJत करती है। (ग) और (घ) : संशोिधत शिĉ नीित िवīुत ±ेý को कोयला आवंटन के िलए है और रेलवे तथा अÆय पåरवहन अवसंरचना को मजबूत करने के िलए संशोिधत शिĉ नीित, 2025 के तहत कोई ÖपĶ łप से िवशेष ÿावधान नहé िकए गए ह§। हालांिक, संशोिधत शिĉ नीित, 2025 के तहत िपटहेड्स के पास Öथािपत úीनफìÐड ताप िवīुत पåरयोजनाएं कोयला िलंकेज ÿाĮ करने के िलए पाý ह§, जो मामला-दर-मामला आधार पर अिधकार ÿाĮ सिमित Ĭारा दी गई छूट/åरयायत के अधीन ह§। िपटहेड िवīुत संयंýŌ कì Öथापना, वाÖतव म¤, रेलवे के माÅयम से कोयले के लंबी दूरी के पåरवहन कì आवÔयकता को कम करती है, िजससे रेलवे नेटवकª पर दबाव कम होता है। (ङ) : कोयला मंýालय ने कोयला आपूितª ®ृंखला कì िडिजटल िनगरानी के िलए िदनांक 29.10.2025 को कोयला शिĉ डैशबोडª लॉÆच िकया है। यह Èलेटफॉमª कोयला उÂपादन, ÿेषण और रेक आवाजाही कì åरयल-टाइम िनगरानी को स±म बनाता है, िजससे िहतधारकŌ के बीच समÆवय म¤ सुधार होता है और कुशल कोयला आपूितª ÿबंधन सुिनिIJत होता है। BIND SCHEME IN TAMIL NADU 4174. SHRI C. N. ANNADURAI:

Spoke Anurag Singh Thakur

Spoke on 2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z

In debate Presentation of 7th and 8th reports of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes