Jaya Verma Sinha Becomes First Woman To Head Railway Board

Jaya Verma Sinha will assume charge of the Railway Board on or after September 1 and her tenure will be till August 31, 2024.

New Delhi: Jaya Verma Sinha is all set to become the first woman to head the Railway Board as the government on Thursday appointed her as the CEO and Chairperson of the the apex decision-making body for the national transporter.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Jaya Verma Sinha, Indian Railway Management Services (IRMS), Member (Operations & Business Development), Railway Board to the post of Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Railway Board,” an official order said.

Jaya Verma Sinha, who was at the centre stage of the railways’ media interactions recently when, as the Member (Operations and Business Development), she explained the complex signalling system after the tragic Balasore accident which killed nearly 300 people.

As per the order, Sinha will assume charge of the Railway Board on or after September 1 and her tenure will be till August 31, 2024. Sinha, who succeeds Anil Kumar Lahoti, is slated to retire
October 1, but will be re-employed the same day till her extended tenure is over.

“Jaya Verma Sinha has been appointed in the Apex scale [Pay Level-17 as per 7th CPC] for a period w.e.f. the date of assumption of charge on or after 01.09.2023, till the date of her superannuation and her re-employment on the post w.e.f. 01.10.2023 till 31.08.2024 on usual terms and conditions, or until further orders. whichever is earlier,” the order further reads.

Who is Jaya Verma Sinha?

Jaya Verma Sinha is an alumnus of the Allahabad University. She joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1988 and worked in Northern Railway, S E Railway and Eastern Railway.

Sinha has worked as Railway Advisor in the High Commission of India, Dhaka, Bangladesh for four years. The Maitree Express from Kolkata to Dhaka was inaugurated during her tenure in Bangladesh. She also worked as the Divisional Railway Manager, Eastern Railway, Sealdah Division.

(With inputs from agencies)