Safety, punctuality will be my priority, says Mukul Roy

Union Minister Mr Mukul Roy, who was today elevated to Cabinet rank, has been allotted the Railway Ministry.

A communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said Mr Roy has been allocated the Railway Ministry on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.

Shortly after being sworn in as a Cabinet minister in Rashtrapati Bhawan, he said: “Safety, security and punctuality will be my priority as the Railway Minister.”

Asked if there will be any roll back in the hike in passenger fares, he said, “Whatever I have to say I will say in Parliament as the Railway Budget is the property of Parliament.

“Since I am the Railway Minister, I will reply to the debate,” he said.

Widely expected to roll back at least the lower class passenger fare hike proposed by Mr Dinesh Trivedi in the Railway Budget, Mr Roy, 57, was sworn in as Cabinet minister at a special but brief ceremony by the President, Ms Pratibha Patil, at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

He was serving as the Union Minister of State for Shipping and had earlier served as Minister of State in the Railway ministry before Mr Trivedi took over last July.

Mr Dinesh Trivedi was forced to resign after Congress caved in to Ms Mamata Banerjee’s pressure. Mr Trivedi was forced out by Trinamool Congress after he incurred the wrath of party chief and West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, who was opposed to his proposal to increase fares in the railway budget last Wednesday.

Yesterday, Ms Mamata had indicated that the hike in the lower class fares proposed in the Railway Budget may be rolled back.