PM Modi praises Suresh Prabhu for doing good work

NEW DELHI: Barely a month after the PMO reportedly flagged the "less than satisfactory performance" of the railway ministry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised railway minister Suresh Prabhu for doing good work.

Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for two Metro rail corridors in Mumbai, Modi said, "Hamare Suresh Prabhuji ne railway mein bhi sach much mein uttam kaam kar ke dikhaya hai (our minister has also done really great work in railways)."

Modi said earlier there was apathy, whether it was in expansion of railway lines, gauge conversion or even phasing out diesel engines. "Today, there is speed and the results are also visible," he said, adding that there would be greater progress in the days to come.

Modi said the railways had allowed 100% FDI and a lot of interest was being shown by foreign countries in investing in rail infrastructure. He announced that a fresh project would be undertaken to convert 400 stations in the "heart of the cities" with state of the art facilities.

The PM's praise for Prabhu came amid speculation and media reports that there could be a cabinet reshuffle after the Bihar elections.

Earlier, media reports had said PM's principal secretary Nripendra Misra had sent a note to the railway ministry citing the slow progress of projects such as station development and high-speed services.