Belagavi, Dec 10: "Let the BJP discuss development issues instead of doing politics. The government will give them befitting reply to them", said Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said that the government was ready to give reply to the Opposition allegations. Let the BJP to discuss in the Session. The government was ready to face it. Not all those who wear green towels were not farmers, he said.

Responding to R. Ashok's statement that the coalition government would collapse soon after cabinet expansion, Shivakumar said that Ashok has left politics and predicting the future. Apart from Siddaramaiah and Dinesh Gundu Rao, all other MLAs and ministers of Congress would participate in the session. Siddaramaiah has been to foreign country as per his prior schedule. But Dinesh Gundu Rao has involved in party programme. There was no politics in it, he clarified.

Siddaganga Swamiji was fine and he was responding to the treatment. There was no need for anyone to go to hospital. The minority administration of the hospital has been treating the Swamiji better, he hailed.

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New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.

"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.

"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country

"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.

"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.

Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.

"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.

"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.