Ashwini Vaishnaw Links Hydrogen Train Expansion To Resource Availability

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has informed the Rajya Sabha that the expansion of India's hydrogen-powered train service to additional routes will depend on the availability of resources, operational feasibility and other requirements. The train was launched on the Jind-Sonipat section in Haryana on a pilot basis to demonstrate hydrogen-powered railway technology. According to Vaishnaw's written reply, the train covered 2,492 km in commercial service between its launch on July 17, 2026, and August 3.

Vaishnaw said the hydrogen-powered train had been developed by Indian Railways as a pilot project to demonstrate the use of hydrogen technology in railway operations. The service currently operates on the 89-km Jind-Sonipat section. The Railway Ministry's response indicates that any decision to extend the technology to other routes will depend on operational requirements and the resources available for such expansion.

In a separate response in the Lok Sabha, the Centre said 73,646 patients were awaiting kidney transplantation in India as of July 27, 2026. More than 200 people died while waiting for kidney transplants during 2025, according to data presented by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav. Delhi recorded the highest number of deaths among patients on the kidney transplant waiting list, with 132 deaths reported in 2025.

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The national registry data cited by the Centre showed that Delhi has recorded the highest number of deaths among people waiting for kidney transplantation since 2021. In that year, 176 people died while awaiting a kidney transplant in the national capital. The number stood at 118 in 2022 and increased to 159 in 2023, highlighting the continuing gap between demand for kidney transplants and the availability of organs.

The Centre also informed Parliament that around 2,000 hospitals had been de-empanelled and another 1,200 suspended by states and Union Territories for violating guidelines under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PM-JAY) up to May 31, 2026. Health Minister JP Nadda said the action was taken against hospitals found to have violated the scheme's guidelines.

According to the government, 29 FIRs have been registered in connection with violations under AB-PM-JAY, while penalties totalling Rs 328.49 crore have been imposed. The scheme, described by the government as the world's largest government-funded health assurance programme, is implemented through empanelled healthcare providers. The action against hospitals forms part of efforts to enforce compliance with the scheme's rules and prevent misuse of public healthcare funds.

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