India most important friend, partner of America: Senator John Cornyn
Washington, Sep 24: India is one of the most important friends and partners of the United States, a top American Senator said on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump addressed a crowd of over 50,000 Indian Americans in Houston.
"India is one of our most important friends and partners," Republican Senator John Cornyn said. The senior Senator from Texas is the founder and Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, which is the only country-specific caucus in the US Senate.
A strong friend of India both inside and outside the US Congress, Cornyn said the two countries share common values of freedom, democracy and free enterprise, and will always look for new opportunities to deepen this relationship.
"In you, India has a valuable friend!," Modi told Cornyn in a tweet.
Congressman Pete Olson echoed Cornyn.
"The United States and India share a bond that was made even stronger" by the "Howdy, Modi!" event," he said.
Modi retweeted Olson, saying, "It is people like you who play a key role in bringing our nations closer. Thank you for coming to #HowdyModi. Your Indian attire looked lovely!"
A large number of US lawmakers attended the mega "Howdy, Modi!" event in Houston on Sunday and frequently tweeted about it. According to Legistorm, which tracks the tweets of the US Congress members, #HowdyModi was the sixth top hashtag of the week in the Congress.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
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.
