Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw Unveils ₹100 Coin on Railway Electrification

The Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, unveiled a ₹100 coloured commemorative coin and a postage stamp to mark 100 years of Electrification in Indian Railways while he conferred the 70th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar on selected railway personnel today, on January 9, 2026, at the India International Convention & Expo Centre (Yashobhoomi), Dwarka, New Delhi.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of State for Railways & Jal Shakti, Shri V. Somanna; the Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Shri Ravneet Singh; and the Chairman & CEO of the Railway Board, Shri Satish Kumar, along with Members of the Railway Board and General Managers of various Railway Zones and Production Units.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Indian Railways had launched an ambitious reform roadmap for 2026 titled “52 Weeks, 52 Reforms”, under which one major reform would be implemented every week across key functional areas, including customer service, maintenance, production, quality management, health systems, and operations. He said structured workshops were being held to redefine standards, identify bottlenecks, and set time-bound action plans with active participation from officers across departments.

He said the reforms would focus on systemic changes, greater adoption of technology, innovation and artificial intelligence, upgraded maintenance standards, an uncompromising emphasis on safety, continuous skill upgradation, and the elimination of the colonial mindset. He emphasized engaging startups and innovators, encouraging employee-driven reform ideas, and scaling successful innovations across the network. With a young workforce and transparent systems, he said Indian Railways was well positioned to become a global benchmark and contribute significantly to India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Addressing the gathering, Shri V. Somanna congratulated railway employees and officers, describing Indian Railways as one of the world’s largest service organisations. He highlighted the expansion of rail connectivity to regions such as Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East, improvements through Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat trains, and the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper services. He also noted progress in railway electrification and the shift towards greener operations, praising the dedication of railway staff.

In his address, Shri Satish Kumar said that Indian Railways had rapidly transformed into a modern, safe, and passenger-centric organisation. Emphasising safety as the highest priority, he referred to advancements in modern signalling, elimination of unmanned level crossings, improved track monitoring, and enhanced freight operations through multimodal logistics. He also recalled the completion of 100 years of railway electrification, calling it a proud milestone made possible by the dedication of railway employees.

This release marks the first commemorative coin of the year 2026, minted by the India Government Mint, Kolkata. The bookings are expected to open soon on the India Government Mint's website and will be updated in the current and upcoming bookings section.