Trinamool Leader Mamata Banerjee takes over as New Railway Minister

Kumari Mamata Banerjee took over as the new Railway Minister when she assumed the charge of her office at Eastern Railway Headquarters in Kolkata today. Chairman, Railway Board, Shri S.S.Khurana, Secretary, Railway Board Shri K.B.L. Mittal, General Managers of Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and Kolkata Metro, Senior officials of Railway Board and Zonal Railways were among those present on the occasion.

Kumari Mamata Banerjee, President of All India Trinamool Congress, was recently re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha on her 7th term from Kolkata (Dakshin) constituency in West Bengal. Born on 5th January, 1955 in Kolkata, Kumar Banerjee has obtained degrees of M.A., B.Ed and LL.B. as well as Trained in Work Education. She earlier also held the Railway portfolio as Union Cabinet Minister during 13th October 1999 to 16th march 2001. During her long parliamentary career, she was member of various important parliamentary committees and held several government social and political posts.

Kumari Banerjee was the General Secretary of Mahila Congress (I), West Bengal, from 1976 to 1980. In 1984, she was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha for the first time in 1985 she became a member of the committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. She became General Secretary, Indian National Congress (I) in the year 1986. In 1990 she was the President of Youth Congress, West Bengal. In 1991, she was re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha and became Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Department of Youth Affairs and Sports; and Women and Child Development). In 1996, she was re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha and was the Member, Committee on Home Affairs and Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs.

In 1997, Kumari Mamata Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress and was elected its Chairperson. In 1998, she was re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha and was Chairman Committee on Railways. In 1999, she was re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha and became Union Cabinet Railway Minister and later served as the Union Cabinet Minister of Coal and Mines. She was re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha in 2004.

Kumari Mamata is connected with different social and human rights organizations to promote the welfare of poor, children and women; providing free legal aid to the poor and; organizing various health camps for mothers and children.

She has authored a number of books on various themes in Bengali and English which include, Upalabdhi, Ashani Shanket Janatar Darbare, Maa, Pallabi, Manavik, Motherland, Crocodile Island, Trinamool, Sishu Sathi, Anubhuti, Struggle for Existence. Abishasya, Janmaini, Ekantee, Struggle for Existence, Abhisaso, Andolaner Kolkata, Ek Guchcha Bhavna, Smile, Jago Bangla, Anasan Keno, Langer, Gantantra Lazza, Salaughter of Democracy, Ajob Chora and Ma-Matee-Manush. Her love for music, songs, painting and art is also well known.

She has widely travelled to various countries and represented India in UN General Assembly; as a woman parliamentarian at World Women Round Table Conference held at Russia and Woman Youth Conference at Vietnam. She also attended the Working Women Conference of ILO and ICFTU at Kuala Lumpur.

Source : Equity Bulls

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