Restructuring will end departmentalism in Indian Railways: Piyush Goyal

The cabinet committee on economic affairs approved the restructuring of the powerful railway board to make it a lean body and merged eight railway civil services. As per the decision, the existing eight Group A services of the Railways will be reorganised into a Central Service called Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS).

New Delhi: The restructuring of Railways will end departmentalism, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday, after the Union Cabinet approved the downsizing of the strength of the Railway Board from eight to five, including the chairman, and merging its different cadres and departments into a single entity.

Talking exclusively to ETV Bharat, the Railway Minister said, "Instead of Railway Board Members for Traffic, Rolling Stock, Traction and Engineering, the newly constituted board will have five members which will include Members for Operation, Business Development, Infrastructure and Finance among others."

Indian Railways will now have only one cadre -- Indian Railway Service, instead of the current eight services for various departments, including Engineering, Traffic, Mechanical and Electrical.

The Railways will also now have just two departments -- Railway Protection Force and Medical Service Department -- with all its other departments coming under one Railway Management System.

"The restructuring will ensure end of departmentalism and smooth operations," Goyal said.

While talking about 'existing 8 Group A services of Railways to be reorganised into a Central Service called IRMS which will provide an opportunity of promotion to the Railways employees on merit basis.

The Minister further maintained, "Now greater number of people will get promotion opportunities on basis of merit. 27 General Managers are getting the highest grade of Secretary level".

According to the railway official, this was done to ensure the end of turf wars among the different cadres and departments which was harming railway operations.

When asked about the privatisation of the Indian Railways, the Minister said that it will be better left for those who understand the policy.

Restructuring of the Railway Board was also recommended by the Bibek Debroy Committee on Indian Railways in 2015.

The panel said in its report that the Indian Railways' centralised structure and departmentalisation was adversely affecting the Railways' work culture and narrowing its approach to department-specific goals.