Pawan Kumar Bansal

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Pawan Kumar Bansal

| image = PawanKumarBansalChd.JPG

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date ={{Birth date and age|1948|7|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sunam, East Punjab, India

| residence = Chandigarh

| death_date =

| death_place =

| order = Interim Treasurer of

| office = All India Congress Committee

| term_start = November 2020

| term_end = 1 Oct 2023

| predecessor = Ahmed Patel

| successor = Ajay Maken

| office1 = Minister of Railways

| term_start1 = 28 October 2012

| term_end1 = 10 May 2013

| predecessor1 = C. P. Joshi

| successor1 = C. P. Joshi

| primeminister1 = Manmohan Singh

| office2 = Minister of Parliamentary Affairs

| term_start2 = 28 May 2009

| term_end2 = 28 October 2012

| predecessor2 = Ghulam Nabi Azad

| successor2 = Kamal Nath

| primeminister2 = Manmohan Singh

| constituency_MP3 = Chandigarh

| parliament3 = Indian

| term_start3 = 1999

| term_end3 = 2014

| predecessor3 = Satya Pal Jain

| successor3 = Kirron Kher

| term_start4 = 1991

| term_end4 = 1996

| predecessor4 = Harmohan Dhawan

| successor4 = Satya Pal Jain

| party = Indian National Congress

| spouse = Madhu Bansal

| children = 2 sons

| website =

| footnotes =

| date = 28 May |

| year = 2009 |

| nationality = Indian

}}

File:Pawan Kumar Bansal launched a book in the Young Architects Festival held at Chandigarh on 14 -16 October 2011. Also seen in the picture are Dr SS Bhatti (R) and Architect Sarbjit Bahga (L).jpg

File:Pawan Kumar Bansal was welcomed by Architect Sarbjit Bahga to the Young Architects Festival held at Chandigarh on 14-16 October 2011.jpg

Pawan Kumar Bansal (born 16 July 1948) is an Indian National Congress politician, who was appointed as the interim treasurer in November 2020 and a former minister in the Manmohan Singh government.{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ex-minister-pawan-bansal-made-congress-treasurer-as-interim-measure/article33199767.ece|title=Ex-minister Pawan Bansal made Congress treasurer as interim measure|newspaper=The Hindu|date=28 November 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/former-chandigarh-mp-pawan-bansal-appointed-as-congress-treasurer-177159|title= Former Chandigarh MP Pawan Bansal appointed as Congress treasurer|website= Tribune|language=en |access-date=2020-11-28}} He represented Chandigarh constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014) of India. He served as Minister of Railways from 28 October 2012 to 10 May 2013.{{Cite web |title=Biodata |url=http://www.archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=42 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128132455/http://www.archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=42 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 January 2015 |website=www.archive.india.gov.in}}{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ex-minister-pawan-bansal-made-congress-treasurer-as-interim-measure/articleshow/79462701.cms|title= Ex-minister Pawan Bansal made Congress treasurer as interim measure|website= Times of India|date= 28 November 2020|language=en |access-date=2020-11-28}}

Early life

Bansal was born on 16 July 1948 in Sunam.{{cite web|title=Detailed Profile: Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal|url=http://www.archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=42|website=india.gove.in|access-date=28 January 2015}} His family hailed from Tapa, Punjab.{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Residents-hopeful-from-railway-minister-Pawan-Bansals-maiden-visit/articleshow/17574952.cms | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828051659/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-11/chandigarh/35748395_1_railway-station-railway-minister-barnala | url-status=live | archive-date=28 August 2013 | title=Residents hopeful from railway minister Pawan Bansal's maiden visit | work=The Times of India | date=11 Dec 2012 | access-date=2013-05-05}} He went to school at the Yadavindra Public School, Patiala, and did BSc from the Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh. He also holds an LLB degree from the Department of Law, Panjab University, Chandigarh.{{cite web | url=http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok13/biodata/13CH01.htm | title=Biographical Sketch - Member of Parliament | publisher=Parliament of India | access-date=2013-05-05}}[http://www.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=42 Detailed Profile - Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal - Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha) - Who's Who - Government: National Portal of India] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130153437/http://www.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=42 |date=30 November 2012 }}

Career

Bansal has represented Chandigarh as a member of Parliament in the 10th, 13th, 14th and 15th Lok Sabha. He has worked as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and the Minister of Water Resources in the Second Manmohan Singh ministry. He also held the charge of the Minister of State for Finance and Parliamentary Affairs in the First Manmohan Singh Cabinet.

=Railway Minister=

He took over as the Railway Minister, becoming the first from his party since 1996. Soon after becoming Railways minister, he approved an increase in fares, which had been unchanged for the last 15 years, to allow the Indian Railways to be profitable. He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from Chandigarh.{{cite news | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/election-live-2014-march-13/ | title=Election LIVE: BJP's third candidate list out, Ram Kripal to contest from Patliputra against Lalu's daughter | date=14 March 2014 | newspaper=The Indian Express | access-date=8 October 2018}} He contested his former constituency again in the next election but was once again defeated.

Railway Budget 2013

The 2013 Railway Budget focused on improving the condition of Indian Railways. Pawan Bansal came up with first ever rail link to connect Arunachal Pradesh.{{cite web | url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-04-12/news/49080232_1_harmuti-railway-map-arunachal-pradesh | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413164915/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-04-12/news/49080232_1_harmuti-railway-map-arunachal-pradesh | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 April 2014 | title=Business News Today: Read Latest Business news, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News }} Internet ticketing from 0030 hours to 2330 hours as well as E-ticketing through mobile phones was made available.{{cite web| url = http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-budget-rail-how-rail-minister-made-your-life-easier/20130226.htm| title = Rail Budget 2013: How Rail Minister made your life easier - Rediff.com}}{{cite web | url=http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx?relid=97308 | title=Untitled Page }} Four companies of women RPF personnel set up and another 8 to be set up to strengthen the security of rail passengers, especially women passengers.[https://archive.today/20150128055324/http://www.hindustantimes.com/chunk-ht-ui-indiabudget2013-railwaybudget2013/bansal-to-add-8-new-companies-of-women-rpf/article1-1017705.aspx Hindustan Times] Indian Railways has identified 104 stations for upgradation in cities with more than one million population and of religious significance. This means, these stations the Railways will give attention to all aspects related to cleanliness, according to the Budget highlights the government released.{{Cite web |url=http://canextstep.com/railway-budget-2013-14-67-express-trains-26-passenger-trains-introduced/ |title=Railway budget 2013-14: 67 express trains, 26 passenger trains introduced | CA NEXT STEP |access-date=28 January 2015 |archive-date=28 January 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150128055320/http://canextstep.com/railway-budget-2013-14-67-express-trains-26-passenger-trains-introduced/ |url-status=dead }} 179 escalators and 400 lifts at A-1 and other major stations to be installed facilitating elderly and differently-able.{{cite web |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/rail-budget-2013-slew-of-passenger-friendly-measures-announced/articleshow/18689166.cms |title=Rail Budget 2013: Slew of passenger-friendly measures announced - The Economic Times |website=economictimes.indiatimes.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828083119/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/rail-budget-2013-slew-of-passenger-friendly-measures-announced/articleshow/18689166.cms |archive-date=2016-08-28}}

Personal life

He is married to Madhu Bansal.{{cite news | url=http://www.indiatvnews.com/video/railway-minister-039-s-wife-madhu-bansal-on-budget-2013-13727.120.html | title=Railway minister's wife Madhu Bansal on Budget 2013 | work=IndiaTV News | date=25 February 2013}} They have two sons.

Incident of corruption charges

On 3 May 2013, the CBI arrested his nephew, Vijay Singla, after they caught an aide counting two bags of cash. After the scam came to light in May, the CBI interrogated Pawan Kumar Bansal, for ten hours, but failed to find substantial evidence to nail him. In his statement, Bansal denied having any knowledge of his nephew's activities.

{{cite news

| title = Pawan Kumar Bansal gets CBI clean chit as CBI files charge sheet

| publisher = dna India

| url = http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-pawan-kumar-bansal-gets-cbi-clean-chit-as-cbi-files-charge-sheet-1856313

| date = 3 July 2013

}}

CBI does not have any tapped conversation which shows that former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal was involved in or had any knowledge of the Rs 10 crore cash for post bribery scandal, which prompted the agency not to make him an accused in the case, sources said here today.{{Cite web |url=http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/130705/news-current-affairs/article/cbi-gives-clean-chit-pawan-kumar-bansal-railway-bribery-scandal?page=3 |title=CBI gives clean chit to Pawan Kumar Bansal in railway bribery scandal |access-date=11 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402130417/http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/130705/news-current-affairs/article/cbi-gives-clean-chit-pawan-kumar-bansal-railway-bribery-scandal?page=3 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}

The CBI said that Mr Bansal will serve as prosecution witness. The judge has responded. "If the CBI has chosen to make Mr Bansal a witness, then at this juncture, there being no evidence against him, the court cannot pass any order or question him, except during the trial."{{Cite web |title=NAT TOP Pawan Bansal is not off the Hook, Judge Slams CBI Clean Chit to Former Railway |url=http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/NAT-TOP-pawan-bansal-is-not-off-the-hook-judge-slams-cbi-clean-chit-to-former-railway-mi-4325064-NOR.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094840/http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/NAT-TOP-pawan-bansal-is-not-off-the-hook-judge-slams-cbi-clean-chit-to-former-railway-mi-4325064-NOR.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 April 2015 |website=daily.bhaskar.com}}