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Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, Government of India
Member of the 18th Lok Sabha from Tumkur, Karnataka. First elected to Bengaluru’s city corporation in 1983, he has since served five terms in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and two in the Legislative Council, and held ministerial office in the Government of Karnataka. He joined the Union Council of Ministers in June 2024.
Current responsibilities · Since June 2024
The President’s Secretariat communiqué of 10 June 2024 allocated him two portfolios: Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways and Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Cabinet Secretariat’s list of 23 June 2026 continues to show both.
Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest railway systems, owned and run by the Government of India through the Railway Board. The Ministry oversees infrastructure, safety, passenger and freight services, station development, rolling stock and railway operations nationwide.
Formed in May 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti brings together the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation. It covers water security, rural drinking water, groundwater, irrigation and sanitation.
Both ministries are headed by Cabinet Ministers. Ministry-wide programmes and results are described on this site as the work of the ministry. Only activities in which official records name V. Somanna are presented as his.
The journey
Six stations on a single line, from a Bengaluru ward to the Union Government. Each milestone is taken from the Digital Sansad record, Ministry of Jal Shakti records, Election Commission results or President’s Secretariat notifications.
Elected corporator from the Vijayanagar division in 1983 and re-elected in 1988.
Five election wins: Binnipet in 1994, 1999 and 2004; Govindarajanagar in 2008 and 2018.
Two consecutive terms in the Upper House of the state legislature.
Ministerial office in three periods. Portfolios included Prisons, Food and Civil Supplies, Housing, Muzrai, Infrastructure Development, Horticulture and Sericulture.
Elected to the 18th Lok Sabha with 720,946 votes, a margin of 175,594 (ECI).
Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Place
For four decades, V. Somanna’s public life was rooted in Bengaluru. He served on the city corporation, then represented the city’s Binnipet and Govindarajanagar constituencies in the Legislative Assembly, and later sat in the Legislative Council. As a minister in the Government of Karnataka he held urban and statewide portfolios, among them Housing and Infrastructure Development.
In 2024 his representation moved north-west of the capital, to the Tumkur parliamentary constituency. The name “Tumkur” is still used in Election Commission and Lok Sabha records; the city and district were renamed Tumakuru in 2014. According to the district administration, Tumakuru district has three sub-divisions (Tumakuru, Tiptur and Madhugiri) and ten taluks.
His national responsibilities keep a close connection with the region. Many of his documented railway engagements concern Karnataka, including new lines through Tumakuru district and the replacement of level crossings with road over and under bridges.
Movement
He reviewed safety, train operations, punctuality and public-grievance mechanisms at the control office of Northern Railway’s Delhi Division. He observed the section controllers and the specialist control desks.
Source: ANI report (opens in a new tab)As Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways, he assists the Minister of Railways across a national network. His documented engagements centre on project reviews, safety works and connectivity, particularly in Karnataka.
Reviews of new lines and doublings in Karnataka, including Tumakuru–Rayadurga and Tumakuru–Chitradurga–Davangere (PIB, Oct 2024).
Level crossings replaced with road under bridges in Tumakuru district and Bengaluru, and a Bengaluru-region ROB/RUB review (PIB, Aug 2025).
New stoppages flagged off, including the Vande Bharat halt at Tumakuru (PIB, Aug 2024) and trains halting at Nittur and Khanapur.
Reviews of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project and of Tumakuru-area works, with district administrations and elected representatives.
Control-office review of punctuality, safety supervision and grievance redressal (Delhi Division, Sept 2026).
Water
India holds about 18% of the world’s population but about 4% of its freshwater resources, according to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Groundwater meets nearly 62% of irrigation needs, 85% of rural consumption and 50% of urban demand.
The ministry’s work covers rural drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission, groundwater assessment and management, water conservation campaigns, irrigation and sanitation. As a Minister of State, V. Somanna has given parliamentary replies on the Jal Jeevan Mission, and has taken part in ministry events with gram panchayats, sarpanches and water workers.
In November 2025 the Central Ground Water Board’s national groundwater compilation carried his signed message. It notes that growing dependence on groundwater has led to “extensive—and sometimes unplanned—exploitation” in parts of the country.
Rural households with tap connections rose from 3.23 crore (16.72%) in August 2019 to over 15.79 crore (81.57%) by 28 January 2026 (Lok Sabha reply, 5 Feb 2026).
The 2025 national assessment puts annual extraction at 247.22 bcm against an extractable resource of 407.75 bcm: a stage of extraction of 60.63%.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain runs community water-conservation campaigns, and Jal Mahotsav 2026 closed on World Water Day.
Over-exploited groundwater assessment units fell from 17.2% in 2017 to 10.8% in 2025, according to official assessments.
The record
A selection from the archive. Each entry gives the date, place, role and a factual summary, with a link to the original release, parliamentary paper or report.
Observed the work of section controllers and the engineering, coaching, goods, commercial, signal & telecom, traction and security control desks. He held discussions with the Divisional Railway Manager on technology adoption, staff working conditions and grievance redressal.
Source: ANI; also reported by Deccan Herald (opens in a new tab)
Inaugurated road under bridges at Bandihalli, Donnere and Badenahalli, which replaced level crossings 60, 61 and 64.
Spoke at the close of Jal Mahotsav on World Water Day, when the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 guidelines were released. PIB reports him saying that water conservation “must become a daily collective responsibility”.
Chaired a coordination meeting with Bengaluru MPs and railway, state and police officials on ROB and RUB works. The release notes about 75 ROB/RUBs built in the region between 2014 and 2025, and 39 more level crossings planned for replacement.
His message in the 2025 national groundwater compilation observes that regions with a sustainable groundwater balance are shrinking worldwide. It describes groundwater as a natural safeguard against drought, and notes that growing dependence has led to “extensive—and sometimes unplanned—exploitation”.
Source: CGWB, National Compilation 2025 (p. 7) (opens in a new tab)
Flagged off the Dharwad–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express (20661/20662) with its newly introduced stoppage at Tumakuru, effective from 24 August 2024.
By the record
Years in public life
From first election to the Bengaluru City Corporation (1983) to 2026.
Legislative experience
Five Karnataka Legislative Assembly terms (1994, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2018) and two Legislative Council terms (2010, 2016).
Parliamentary service
Complete years in the 18th Lok Sabha, from June 2024 to September 2026. This is his first term.
Ministerial responsibilities
Minister of State in the Ministries of Railways and Jal Shakti, both allocated on 10 June 2024.
Sources: Digital Sansad profile 5625; Ministry of Jal Shakti profile; President’s Secretariat communiqués of 9 and 10 June 2024.
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