New Delhi, March 10 -- Parliament on Monday passed a bill aimed at streamlining and modernizing railway operations in India with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stating that the government was laying thrust on infrastructure development, safety and technology.

Rajya Sabha passed the bill, which had earlier been passed by Lok Sabha.

In his reply to the debate, Vaishnaw, who is Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronics & IT, emphasized the bill's role in empowering field offices, enhancing efficiency, and reinforcing cooperative federalism.

He said the bill is designed to simplify existing laws and does not diminish the powers of state governments. Instead, it promotes decentralization by granting full authority to general ...