Countries queue up to invite Mamata

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee might not be the most popular colleague in Manmohan Singh's council of ministers, but in the international community, she is one of the most sought after Indian ministers.

After UK, US and Japan, now Nicolas Sarkozy-led France too, wants Banerjee to visit. Jeremy Bonnefant, the French ambassador to India, on Tuesday had a half an hour meeting with the minister to discuss various railway projects.

Bonnefant's meeting comes a day after the US ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, came down to the Rail Bhawan for a "courtesy meeting" with the minister.

Senior railway officials feel this interest of the international community came after Banerjee unveiled policies to seek private investment in rail projects. As the ministry faces a paucity of funds, Banerjee in her Railway Budget laid emphasis on the public private partnership model for developing railway infrastructure.

Banerjee has received invitations from the UK High Commissioner and the Japanese envoy at New Delhi to visit their countries. Banerjee, however, is yet to take a call on any date for any of her foreign visits.

According to sources in the minister's office, the British High Commission has made several calls to the Rail Bhawan to fix a schedule for the minister's UK tour. Banerjee is undecided: she is reported to have told aides that as the UK is headed for a general election, she may like to meet representatives of the new government in London.

After taking charge as the railway minister, Banerjee has so far avoided any foreign tour. She even sacrificed crucial Cabinet meetings to remain stationed in Kolkata and fight the CPI (M).

Her predecessor, Lalu Prasad, visited the UK and France in 2006. During his trip to the UK, Prasad visited railway stations, maintenance depots simulators and the London Underground/Metro stations.

In France, Prasad visited the most-advanced high speed TVG train depot and held bilateral discussions on international cooperation in the field of training of Indian Railway officials, fire simulations in coaches, land development and heritage and development of logistic parks.

He later signed an MoU with French counterpart SNCF International to get technical help and cooperation for high speed railways.