Kharge to give priority on filling up Railway Board vacancies

Filling up of vacancies in Railway Board will be the top priority of new Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge.

"I will give priority to fill up vacancies in Railway Board as soon as possible," he told reporters after getting the Railway portfolio in the Cabinet reshuffle.

Asked about Railways' performance, he said, "Whatever time is available now, I will try to do my best."

Currently, Member Staff Mahesh Kumar is behind the bars and under suspension as he is accused of bribing Vijay Singla, nephew of former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, for a top post in Railways.

Besides, the post of Member Traffic is vacant while Chairman Railway Board Vinay Mittal and Financial Commissioner Vijaykanth are retiring on June 30.

Railways has to show urgency in shortlisting the possible names for these key posts and submit them to the DoPT for consideration.

Former Road and Transport Minister C P Joshi, who was given additional charge of Railways after Bansal's resignation, could not finalise the key appointments and left it for new Railway Minister.