UNION MINISTER ASHWINI VAISHNAW

IRCTC’s new tatkal rules you must know before your next confirmed train ticket booking: Know all FAQ's
Indian Railways will soon introduce e-Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal train ticket bookings. This aims to reduce fraud and increase transparency. The new system will require all users to authenticate via e-Aadhaar on the IRCTC portal. Tatkal bookings open one day before the journey. Passengers can book up to four tickets per PNR.

4 dead, 9 injured after falling off local train near Mumbai
A tragic incident near Mumbra station in Mumbai resulted in four fatalities and nine injuries when commuters fell from a crowded local train. The accident occurred as two trains traveling in opposite directions brushed against each other, causing commuters on the footboard to lose their balance.

Agri production increased by 40% in 10 years: Union Minister Chouhan
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a 40% increase in India's agriculture production over the last decade, with a 5.4% growth rate in the fourth quarter of FY2024-25. He credited PM Modi's policies for this success, highlighting record production of key crops and full grain storehouses. The focus remains on food security, farmer income, nutrition, and soil health.

Local train accident: Congress slams govt, demands Railway Minister Vaishnaw's resignation
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal called for Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation following a tragic local train accident in Thane, resulting in four fatalities. Sapkal demanded Rs 25 lakh compensation for the victims' families, blaming both Central and state governments for inadequate facilities.

"Behaved most irresponsibly": Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Bengaluru stampede
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday reiterated Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje's scathing remark on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar that they had "blood on their hands" for their "irresponsible and insensitive" handling of the crowd outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, which led to a stampede that killed 11 people on June 4 during RCB's IPL victory celebrations.

India to be a global AI powerhouse: OpenAI executive after India academy launch
The IndiaAI Mission, which is also supporting the building of Indian foundational models, is receiving interest to do so from the likes of Essential AI cofounder Ashish Vaswani and Two AI founder Pranav Mistry, an official said on the sidelines of the event.
- Go To Page 1
Chenab Bridge inaugurated: PM Modi launches world’s tallest railway bridge in J&K, connecting Kashmir to India’s rail network
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, the world's highest railway arch, connecting the Kashmir valley to the rest of India by rail. He also launched the Anji Khad bridge, India's first cable-stayed railway bridge. The Chenab bridge, part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla project, ensures all-weather access and enhanced connectivity for the region.
Dream of rail link to Kashmir made possible due to PM's determination: Vaishnaw
Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw attributed the realization of the Jammu-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong will and focused efforts. Vaishnaw highlighted the challenges overcome through bridges and tunnels, emphasizing the historic significance of connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country. He made these remarks during the inauguration of the Vande Bharat train to Kashmir.
Jammu & Kashmir will be given status of state by PM Modi: Omar Abdullah in Katra
Omar Abdullah advocated for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, expressing optimism that Prime Minister Modi would fulfill this. PM Modi inaugurated Vande Bharat trains and railway bridges, enhancing connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, featuring impressive bridges and tunnels, aims to integrate the region and boost its economy.
PM Modi flags off Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vande Bharat train connecting Katra and Srinagar, marking the first rail link between the Kashmir valley and the Jammu region. The event was attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, J&K LG Manoj Sinha, and former CM Omar Abdullah.
Railway Minister shares 8 key features of Katra Srinagar Rail Link
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project's key features as Prime Minister Modi flagged off the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express. The project showcases remarkable engineering, including India's longest transportation tunnel and the world's highest railway arch bridge. Advanced construction techniques were adapted for the Himalayan region, ensuring all-weather train movement with ice cutters.
Ashwini Vaishnaw shares video of Anji, India's first cable-stayed rail bridge that PM Modi will inaugurate today
Ahead of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a captivating video of India's first cable-stayed rail bridge - 'Anji Railway Bridge', built on the Anji River in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir was shared by Union Railways Minister Ashwini on Friday.
'This will give a good jump to tourism': Ashwini Vaishnaw as PM Modi set to flag off two Vande Bharat trains in J-K
"This will give a good jump to tourism. Economy will receive a significant benefit. We are making a total of 5 terminals in the stretch from Baramulla to Jammu from where things can be brought to and forth. If we have to send produce from here to any part of the country, fruits and handicraft and several other things - it will be easier to transport that... Recently, we did an experiment where cherries were transported through trains and it was a successful experiment. We can also bring things here from different parts of the country. Everyone will be benefitted from this," Vaishnaw told ANI.
OpenAI launches Academy in India; to expand access to AI education
According to ChatGPT maker OpenAI’s chief strategy officer, Jason Kwon, the government of India realises that to get the best returns from AI, large investments are needed to set up core infrastructure and develop advanced AI technologies.
Indian Railways rolls out big changes to address Tatkal ticket woes, fraud IDs
Indian Railways is implementing mandatory e-Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal ticket bookings to combat scalping and bot misuse. Priority access will be given to users who link their IRCTC accounts with Aadhaar. Anti-BOT systems and CDN enhancements have significantly improved website performance, leading to increased user logins and ticket bookings, ensuring a fairer and faster experience for genuine passengers.
Indian Railways to mandate e-Aadhaar authentication for tatkal ticket booking
Indian Railways is preparing to launch mandatory e-Aadhaar authentication for tatkal ticket bookings later this month. This initiative seeks to reduce misuse and scalping, ensuring genuine passengers have better access to tatkal tickets. By digitally verifying identities during booking, the railways aim to create a more transparent and fair ticketing system, combating fraudulent transactions.
E-Aadhaar authentication soon for Tatkal train ticket booking
Indian Railways will soon mandate e-Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal train ticket bookings to curb ticket hoarding and touts, potentially increasing ticket availability. The initiative prioritizes Aadhaar-linked accounts during the initial 10 minutes of Tatkal sales, excluding even IRCTC agents. This move is part of a broader campaign against automated booking tools, with millions of accounts already blocked or under investigation.
Caste census exercise to start from March 1, 2027 across country
India will conduct a nationwide caste census starting March 1, 2027, with hilly states beginning earlier on October 1, 2026. The Union Cabinet has approved the inclusion of caste-based enumeration in the upcoming national census. This decision marks a shift from the 2010 approach, where a separate Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was conducted instead.
After Sarvam.ai, Soket AI, Gnani.ai, Gan.ai to now build foundation AI models, says IndiaAI Mission
The IndiaAI Compute portal now has 34,000 GPUs, sourced from Nvidia, AMD, AWS, and Intel. In the second round of the GPU tender, seven technically qualified bidders have been empanelled. IndiaAI Mission has now selected Soket AI, Gnani.ai, and Gan.ai, in addition to Sarvam.ai, to develop foundation AI models.
Railways to create sandbox for startups: Ashwini Vaishnaw
"Maybe in another two months from now, we'll have a new policy where any new innovative idea can be tried and tested at a small scale, in a sandbox environment, and then we can scale it up to a bigger level," the railways, information technology and information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said CII summit.
IndiaAI selects 10 startups for global acceleration programme
IndiaAI Mission has selected 10 homegrown AI startups for its global initiative, partnering with Paris-based Station F and HEC Paris. The four-month programme supports global scale-up, market access, and collaboration. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called it a milestone in India’s AI innovation diplomacy and global growth.
Rewa-Pune, Jabalpur-Raipur and Gwalior-KSR Bengaluru train services to begin in 2 months: Vaishnaw
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the launch of three new train services connecting Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka within the next two months. These routes include Rewa-Pune, Jabalpur-Raipur, and Gwalior-KSR Bengaluru City, aiming to improve connectivity, trade, and economic development in the regions. Additionally, projects worth ₹1.
Andhra four-lane corridor receives cabinet approval
The 108.134 km, four-lane Badvel-Nellore Corridor on national highway (NH) 67 will be built on design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) mode. It will provide connectivity to important nodes in the three industrial corridors of Andhra Pradesh-Kopparthy node on the Vishakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, Orvakal node on Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and Krishnapatnam node on Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor-and will have a positive impact on India's Logistics Performance Index, said a government statement.
Cabinet gives nod to extend Modified Interest Subvention Scheme at 1.5% rate for FY26
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Modi, has approved the continuation of the Interest Subvention component under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) for FY26, benefiting over 7.75 crore KCC accounts.
Cabinet hikes minimum support price of Kharif crops for 2025-26; ups paddy MSP by Rs 69 per quintal
Amid concerns of an above-normal monsoon disrupting sowing, the Cabinet has declared the Minimum Selling Price for kharif crops for the 2025-26 marketing season. Early pre-monsoon showers have saturated the soil, hindering land preparation for planting. A consistent and uniform monsoon spread is crucial for a successful kharif season and to bolster India's agricultural output and economic growth.
Assam CM meets union ministers, seeks new mineral extraction, expanded coal linkages, & railway infra boost
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma engaged with Union Ministers G. Kishen Reddy and Ashwini Vaishnaw to bolster the state's infrastructure and economy. Sarma requested support for coal and mineral extraction, seamless coal linkages for thermal plants, and expansion of Margherita coal mines. Discussions with Vaishnaw centered on railway infrastructure expansion to establish Assam as a logistics hub.
PM Modi inaugurates new locomotive manufacturing plant in Dahod, Gujarat to boost Indian Railways; Watch video
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a railway locomotive manufacturing plant in Dahod, Gujarat, to enhance railway infrastructure and freight capabilities. The facility will produce 9000 HP electric locomotives for domestic use and export, featuring regenerative braking for energy efficiency. Following the inauguration, PM Modi will launch development projects worth over ₹24,000 crore in Dahod.
Centre approves new Agartala-Guwahati train service, Tripura MP Biplab Kumar Deb expresses gratitude to PM Modi, Ashwini Vaishnaw
The central government has approved a new train service connecting Agartala and Guwahati (Narangi), a move championed by West Tripura MP Biplab Kumar Deb. This decision follows Deb's advocacy for improved railway services in Tripura, including a direct train to Guwahati for enhanced regional connectivity and passenger convenience.
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu seeks law tweaks to boost AI, data cities
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu requests changes in central laws. He aims to attract investment in data cities and AI. Naidu wants tax benefits for foreign cloud providers. He also seeks copyright law changes for AI model training. Tax exemptions for tier-3 cities are also proposed. These changes will help Andhra Pradesh become a technology hub.
Load More