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Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Gaurav Gogoi assumes charge as Assam Congress president
GUWAHATI: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi, officially took charge as the president of the party's Assam state unit at their headquarters in Guwahati on Tuesday. Gogoi, who is also the deputy leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, was welcomed by his predecessor Bhupen Kumar Borah to the office where he assumed office in presence of a number of leaders including party's state in-charge Jitendra Singh, Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain, leader of opposition in state assembly Debabrata Saikia and working presidents Roselina Tirkey, Jakir Hussain Sikdar and Pradip Sarkar. Gogoi was named president of the Assam Congress on May 26, ahead of next year's assembly polls in the state. Following his appointment, Gogoi had arrived at his constituency Jorhat on May 31 and had undertaken a road show from there to Guwahati, covering a distance of around 300 km, along with other party leaders and supporters. 'This is just a small step for me. Though a new person has assumed this post, the Congress's ideology and ideals remain the same as ever. We want everyone to be equal and get equal rights as enshrined in our Constitution,' said Gogoi after assuming charge and thanked the party leadership for giving him the responsibility. 'Our effort would be to win next year's assembly election and I am sure all our party MP, MLAs, office bearers and workers work together towards that end,' he added. The three-time MP's elevation to the new role comes amid a series of electoral losses the party has been suffering since Congress lost power to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam in 2016. Outgoing president Borah has been appointed president of the party's campaign committee chief and leader of opposition in the state assembly, Debabrata Saikia, as head of the coordination committee. Sitting MPs, Pradyut Bordoloi, will head the manifesto committee, while Rakibul Hussain will be president of the publicity committee. Since February this year, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been targeting Gogoi, the son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, alleging that the latter had visited Pakistan and spent several days there without briefing the Centre and that his wife had worked in the neighbouring country and has links with their military and intelligence establishments. The same month, the state police following directions by the cabinet had formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the links of Gogoi's wife, Elizabeth, a British national, who had worked in the neighbouring country while employed with an NGO. Sarma has been saying that the results of the investigations would be revealed on September 10. Gogoi, while admitting his Pakistan visit in 2013, when his wife was posted there, has denied any links with Pakistan's military or intelligence agencies, both by him and his wife, and has dared Sarma to reveal the outcome of the SIT probe immediately.
India.com
03-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Vande Bharat news: Masterstroke by Modi govt as Centre likely to..., move to affect...
Vande Bharat Express (File) Vande Bharat News: In some major good news for train travelers, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government is mulling steps to make Vande Bharat Express trains more pocket-friendly for the common man, including reducing ticket prices, and introducing tier-based pricing model existing on several other trains operated by the Indian Railways. Vande Bharat ticket prices According to reports, the Railways Ministry is exploring options including subsidized tickets, and tiered pricing models, which would enable passengers pay for accommodations based on their income levels. Data reveals that there are a total of 136 Vande Bharat Express trains operating across the country, which boast an overall occupancy of over 100 percent, as of March 31, 2025. However, Vande Bharat tickets are comparatively pricier than other trains, preventing a majority of lower and middle-income passengers from opting for these semi-high speed modern trains. The government has acknowledged this widening gap, and is mulling options to make Vande Bharat services more inclusive and accessible. While no official comments or decision have been announced yet, reports suggest discussions are underway to restructure the pricing model of Vande Bharat to make it more accessible to the masses. Vande Bharat operating cost Notably, replying to a query in Parliament by Congress MP Rakibul Hussain about the affordability of Vande Bharat trains, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that government was exploring options. As per reports, Vande Bharat Express trains are costlier to operate than their conventional counterparts, with each round-trip of 1,000–1,500 kilometers costing between Rs 5-8 lakh per day. This includes Rs 2-3 lakh in energy expenses, Rs 1–1.5 lakh in maintenance, and Rs 0.5–1 lakh in crew and staff salaries. The operating cost swells up further with catering, cleaning, and miscellaneous services, making reducing fares a challenge as profitability would also be taken into consideration. About Vande Bharat Express train The semi-high speed medium-distance Vande Bharat Express trains have revolutionized train travel in India since their commercial launch February 15, 2019. The state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Express trains provide unrivalled comfort and security to travelers, connecting various busy hubs in the country in a seamless manner. The Vande Bharat Express trains, which have an operational speed of up to 130 km per hour, are designed for comfort and efficiency, and boast modern amenities like automatic sliding doors and CCTV cameras for added security.
