The Trinamool Congress General Secretary, Mr Mukul Roy, took over as the Minister of State for Railways following the resignation of party supremo Ms Mamata Banerjee from the post of Railways Minister.

“I have been given the additional charge of the Minister of State of Railways,” Roy told newsmen after completing the formalities of the takeover at the Eastern Railways headquarters here.

He said Ms Banerjee's tenure was the “golden era” of the Indian Railways in terms of induction of new technology and introduction of new projects.

“I will work to turn Ms Mamata Banerjee's ‘vision 20:20' into reality and implement with the railway team the projects she had announced in the Railway Budget,” Mr Roy said.

PMO sources said in Delhi that the Railway portfolio will be held at the Cabinet level by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, who has accepted Ms Banerjee's resignation with immediate effect.

Mr Roy, who is also Minister of State for Shipping, will continue in the post while holding additional charge as the MoS Railways.

The Railway Ministry already has two Ministers of State — Mr Bharatsinh Solanki and Mr K.H. Muniappa.

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