Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has urged investors to tap into the potential of nuclear power, assuring that Indian Railways is prepared to purchase electricity from nuclear sources. Speaking at the Madhya Pradesh Global Investor Summit 2025 (GIS-2025) on Monday, Vaishnaw highlighted the growing energy demands of the railway sector and encouraged states to contribute through renewable and nuclear projects.
“If a nuclear power plant can be set up in Madhya Pradesh, Indian Railways would be very happy to enter into an agreement to purchase electricity from it. Wind power is also very interesting to us,” Vaishnaw said, emphasizing the railway’s commitment to sustainable energy. He further urged all states to support the railway’s electricity needs through renewable sources, including wind, hydro, and nuclear power.
The minister also lauded the recently announced railway budget, calling it “historic” in scale and ambition. “This time, the railway has been given a record budget of ₹14,745 crore,” he added, underscoring the Union government’s prioritization of infrastructure development. He contrasted the slow pace of railway projects before 2014 with the current acceleration, stating that track expansion has surged from just 29 kilometers per year before 2014 to 223 kilometers annually under the present administration.
Vaishnaw praised Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister for swiftly addressing key issues, enabling faster railway development in the state. His remarks come as GIS-2025 draws participation from top industrialists, diplomatic representatives, and international trade organizations, positioning Madhya Pradesh as a major investment hub.
Prominent business leaders attending the summit include Kumar Mangalam Birla (Aditya Birla Group), Gautam Adani (Adani Group), Nadir Godrej (Godrej Industries), Piruz Khambatta (Rasna Private Limited), Baba N Kalyani (Bharat Forge Limited), Rahul Awasthi (Sun Pharmaceuticals), and Neeraj Akhoury (ACC Limited) With significant global trade and investment promotion agencies also on board, the summit is expected to drive substantial economic growth in the state.
(Inputs from ANI)