‘Expansion of hydrogen-powered train depends on resources’
The hydrogen-powered train was launched on the Jind-Sonipat route on a pilot basis, and its expansion to other routes will depend on availability of resources, operational feasibility, and other requirements, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday. Vaishnaw, in a written reply, informed the House that from the launch of hydrogen-powered train on July 17, 2026, till August 3, it covered 2,492 km in commercial service on the 89-km Jind-Sonipat section. “The hydrogen train has been developed by Indian Railways on pilot basis to demonstrate the use of hydrogen powered train technology in Railways,” Vaishnaw said.
74k need kidneys, 200 died in wait in ’25
More than 200 people died in 2025 while waiting for kidney transplantation in India, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. In a written reply, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, said the number of patients currently awaiting kidney transplantation is 73,646 in the country till July 27. As many as 132 people died in Delhi in 2025—the highest in the country. Since 2021, the capital has been reporting the highest number of deaths of people who were in the waiting list, as per the national registry portal. In 2021, 176 people died while waiting for a kidney in Delhi. In 2022, 118 people lost their lives, and in 2023, 159 people died.
2k hosps de-empanelled for violations
The centre on Friday said as many as 2,000 hospitals have been de-empanelled and 1,200 suspended by states and UTs for violations of guidelines under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PM-JAY), the world’s largest government-funded health assurance scheme, till May 31 this year. Health Minister JP Nadda told the Lok Sabha that 29 FIRs have been filed and penalties amounting to Rs 328.49 crore have been levied for violation of scheme guidelines.
