Union Railways Minister Mr. Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday that Indian Railways will achieve 100% electrification in the next fiscal year and is making rapid strides in renewable energy adoption. Speaking virtually at the MP Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025 after signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Madhya Pradesh, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to making railways net zero by 2030.
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Currently, over 97% of the railway network is electrified, and full electrification is expected by FY 2025-26. The minister highlighted that Railways has already secured 1,500 MW (1.5 GW) of renewable energy capacity, with a new 170 MW PPA signed with Madhya Pradesh’s Waree Energies and Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd (RUMSL).
Mr. Vaishnaw assured that Railways is ready to procure all renewable energy generated by Madhya Pradesh, including nuclear and wind power, provided supply remains stable. He also emphasized that Railways is open to signing similar PPAs with other states.
Highlighting infrastructure growth, he stated that Madhya Pradesh has received a record railway budget allocation of Rs. 14,745 crore for 2025-26. He noted that before 2014, railway line construction in MP was only 29-30 km annually, which has now surged to 223 km per year—an increase of 7.5 times. Additionally, railway project funding has grown 23 times since 2014, with Rs. 1.04 lakh crore currently being invested in various railway projects in the state.
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