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Jaya Varma Sinha becomes Indian Railways' first female Chairperson & CEO
Industry News- Sep 05,23
Prior to her appointment's clearance by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Jaya Varma served as a Member of Operations and Business Development on the Board, overseeing the comprehensive transportation of both freight and passenger services.
In an era of transformation within the Indian Railways, significant changes have taken place as Jaya Varma Sinha assumed her historic role as the first female Chairperson & CEO of the Railway Board, marking a remarkable milestone for the world's fifth-largest rail network.
The Railway Board, responsible for overseeing the intricate day-to-day operations of the vast Indian Railways system, is composed not only of the Chairperson & CEO but also includes seven other members. Additionally, it features a Financial Commissioner appointed by the Ministry of Finance and a Director General responsible for Railway Health Services, Personnel, and Railway Protection Force. This governing body was established under the Indian Railways Board Act of 1905.
Prior to her appointment's clearance by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Jaya Varma served as a Member of Operations and Business Development on the Board, overseeing the comprehensive transportation of both freight and passenger services.
It was during this tenure that she gained prominence, particularly after conducting numerous successful media briefings following a tragic train accident in Odisha's Balasore district, which claimed the lives of 295 individuals and left over 1,200 injured.
Despite achieving a top-ranking position in the civil services examination, Varma chose to join the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) in 1988, a department with minimal female representation at the time. After completing her training, she was assigned to the Allahabad Division of Northern Railway, where she served as the Divisional Commercial Manager.
Over her illustrious career spanning more than three decades, she has contributed to various domains, including operations, commercial affairs, information technology, and vigilance. She received special recognition for her contributions to the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), an organization established to fortify the Railways' IT infrastructure, as well as her involvement in the development of the Freight Operations Information System (FOIS).
Jaya Varma also holds the distinction of being the first woman appointed as the Principal Chief Operations Manager of the South Eastern Railway. Additionally, she served as the Railway Advisor at the High Commission of India in Dhaka during the inauguration of the renowned Maitri Express, connecting Kolkata to Dhaka in April 2008.
Assuming her role at a pivotal juncture, Jaya Varma now leads the Indian Railways during a period of accelerated modernization, featuring significant projects such as new railway lines, station redevelopment, dedicated freight corridors, Vande Bharat trains, and the nation's inaugural high-speed train corridor. Her mandate includes ensuring the timely execution of these projects while placing paramount emphasis on railway safety.
The Railway's capital expenditure (capex) has surged from Rs 53,989 crore in 2013-14 to an astounding Rs 2,60,200 crore in 2023-24, marking a substantial increase. Similarly, the gross budgetary support allocated to the Railways for capex has grown from Rs 28,174 crore in 2013-14 to an impressive Rs 2,40,000 crore in 2023-24, representing a more than eightfold increase.
Source: Business Today
Jaya Varma Sinha
Indian Railways
Chairperson & CEO
Railway Board
First Woman
Rail Transporter
Modernization
Railway Safety
Capital Expenditure
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