The 68th Railway Week Central Function – Ati Vishist Rail Seva Puraskar-2023, held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on Friday showcased the remarkable achievements of the Indian Railways. The event, presided over by the Union Minister of Railways, Communications & Electronics, and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, recognized and applauded the exceptional contributions of railway personnel and departments across the country.
CR and WR emerge as shining stars
Central Railway and Western Railway emerged as shining stars, with both receiving prestigious National Efficiency Shields for their outstanding performances. Central Railway was honored with four shields, including the Environment & Cleanliness Shield for its remarkable efforts in solar energy, energy conservation, and cleanliness. The comprehensive approach, including the plantation of 1.53 lakhs saplings and the installation of solar energy plants, underscores Central Railway's commitment to sustainable practices.
In addition, Central Railway excelled in other categories, bagging the Stores Shield (Material Management) jointly with Western Railway, Comprehensive Health Care Shield for providing superior medical facilities to its staff, and the Personnel Department Shield for implementing various online measures for staff welfare.
Western Railway, not to be outdone, secured five National Efficiency Shields, notably in Sales Management, RailMadad, Traffic Transportation (jointly with South East Central Railway), Level Crossing and Road Over/Under Bridge Safety Works (jointly with East Central Railway), and Stores (jointly with Central Railway). These accolades underscore Western Railway's prowess across diverse operational domains.
The awards
Apart from that, the 'Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar' was conferred upon seven officials each from both Central Railway and Western Railway, recognizing their exceptional contributions. Dr. Shivraj Manaspure, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, was among the recipients, received the award directly from Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The awards highlighted achievements in areas such as earnings increase, tackling ticketless travel and thefts, operational improvements, safety enhancements, and project completion.
Revamped Recognition Noteworthy is the renaming of the awards to 'Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar' from the previous National Railways Award or Minister of Railways (MR) Award. This revision aligns with the evolving dynamics of the railway ecosystem, emphasizing the pursuit of excellence and service distinction.
