Pawan Kumar Bansal

Pawan Kumar Bansal
Interim Treasurer of All India Congress Committee
In office
November 2020 – 1 Oct 2023
Preceded byAhmed Patel
Succeeded byAjay Maken
Minister of Railways
In office
28 October 2012 – 10 May 2013
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded byC. P. Joshi
Succeeded byC. P. Joshi
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
In office
28 May 2009 – 28 October 2012
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded byGhulam Nabi Azad
Succeeded byKamal Nath
Member of the Indian Parliament
for Chandigarh
In office
1999–2014
Preceded bySatya Pal Jain
Succeeded byKirron Kher
In office
1991–1996
Preceded byHarmohan Dhawan
Succeeded bySatya Pal Jain
Personal details
Born (1948-07-16) 16 July 1948 (age 76)
Sunam, East Punjab, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
SpouseMadhu Bansal
Children2 sons
ResidenceChandigarh
As of 28 May, 2009

Pawan Kumar Bansal (born 16 July 1948) is an Indian National Congress politician, who was appointed as the interim treasurer in November 2020 and a former minister in the Manmohan Singh government.[1][2] He represented Chandigarh constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014) of India. He served as Minister of Railways from 28 October 2012 to 10 May 2013.[3][4]

Early life

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Bansal was born on 16 July 1948 in Sunam.[5] His family hailed from Tapa, Punjab.[6] He went to school at the Yadavindra Public School, Patiala, and did BSc from the Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh. He also holds an LLB degree from the Department of Law, Panjab University, Chandigarh.[7][8]

Career

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Bansal has represented Chandigarh as a member of Parliament in the 10th, 13th, 14th and 15th Lok Sabha. He has worked as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of Water Resources in the Second Manmohan Singh ministry. He also held the charge of the Minister of State for Finance and Parliamentary Affairs in the First Manmohan Singh Cabinet.

Railway Minister

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He took over as the Railway Minister, becoming the first from his party since 1996. Soon after becoming Railways minister, he approved an increase in fares, which had been unchanged for the last 15 years, to allow the Indian Railways to be profitable. He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from Chandigarh.[9] He contested his former constituency again in the next election but was once again defeated.

Railway Budget 2013

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The 2013 Railway Budget focused on improving the condition of Indian Railways. Pawan Bansal came up with first ever rail link to connect Arunachal Pradesh.[10] Internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours as well as E-ticketing through mobile phones was made available.[11][12] Four companies of women RPF personnel set up and another 8 to be set up to strengthen the security of rail passengers, especially women passengers.[13] Indian Railways has identified 104 stations for upgradation in cities with more than one million population and of religious significance. This means, these stations the Railways will give attention to all aspects related to cleanliness, according to the Budget highlights the government released.[14] 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A-1 and other major stations to be installed facilitating elderly and differently-able.[15]

Personal life

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He is married to Madhu Bansal.[16] They have two sons.

Incident of corruption charges

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On 3 May 2013, the CBI arrested his nephew, Vijay Singla, after they caught an aide counting two bags of cash. After the scam came to light in May, the CBI interrogated Pawan Kumar Bansal, for ten hours, but failed to find substantial evidence to nail him. In his statement, Bansal denied having any knowledge of his nephew's activities.[17]

CBI does not have any tapped conversation which shows that former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal was involved in or had any knowledge of the Rs 10 crore cash for post bribery scandal, which prompted the agency not to make him an accused in the case, sources said here today.[18]

The CBI said that Mr Bansal will serve as prosecution witness. The judge has responded. "If the CBI has chosen to make Mr Bansal a witness, then at this juncture, there being no evidence against him, the court cannot pass any order or question him, except during the trial."[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Ex-minister Pawan Bansal made Congress treasurer as interim measure". The Hindu. 28 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Former Chandigarh MP Pawan Bansal appointed as Congress treasurer". Tribune. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Biodata". www.archive.india.gov.in. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Ex-minister Pawan Bansal made Congress treasurer as interim measure". Times of India. 28 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Detailed Profile: Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal". india.gove.in. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Residents hopeful from railway minister Pawan Bansal's maiden visit". The Times of India. 11 December 2012. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Biographical Sketch - Member of Parliament". Parliament of India. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  8. ^ Detailed Profile - Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal - Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) - Who's Who - Government: National Portal of India Archived 30 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Election LIVE: BJP's third candidate list out, Ram Kripal to contest from Patliputra against Lalu's daughter". The Indian Express. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Business News Today: Read Latest Business news, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Rail Budget 2013: How Rail Minister made your life easier - Rediff.com".
  12. ^ "Untitled Page".
  13. ^ Hindustan Times
  14. ^ "Railway budget 2013-14: 67 express trains, 26 passenger trains introduced | CA NEXT STEP". Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Rail Budget 2013: Slew of passenger-friendly measures announced - The Economic Times". economictimes.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Railway minister's wife Madhu Bansal on Budget 2013". IndiaTV News. 25 February 2013.
  17. ^ "Pawan Kumar Bansal gets CBI clean chit as CBI files charge sheet". dna India. 3 July 2013.
  18. ^ "CBI gives clean chit to Pawan Kumar Bansal in railway bribery scandal". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  19. ^ "NAT TOP Pawan Bansal is not off the Hook, Judge Slams CBI Clean Chit to Former Railway". daily.bhaskar.com.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Railways
28 Oct 2012 – 10 May 2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
2009-12
Succeeded by
Preceded by
unknown
Minister of Water Resources
unknown
Succeeded by
Pawan Kumar Bansal launched a book in the Young Architects Festival held at Chandigarh on 14–16 October 2011. Also seen in the picture are Dr SS Bhatti (R) and Architect Sarbjit Bahga (L).
Pawan Kumar Bansal was welcomed by Architect Sarbjit Bahga to the Young Architects Festival held at Chandigarh on 14–16 October 2011.

Category:Railway Ministers of India