What are the major reforms in Indian Railways in the recent times? Examine the Organisational Restructuring of Indian Railways which will help it go a long way in sustaining the industry. (200 Words)
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 5 years
KEY POINTS
Major reforms
· Unification of the existing eight Group A services of the Railways into a Central Service called Indian Railway Management Service (/RMS)
· Re-organisation of Railway Board on functional lines headed by CRB with four Members and some Independent Members
· The existing service of Indian Railway Medical Service (IRMS) to be consequently renamed as Indian Railway Health Service (IRHS).
Restructuring of Indian Railways
Why was the reform needed?
· The government wants to end inter-departmental rivalries, which it says have been hindering growth for decades, departments were working “in silos”.
· Several committees including the Bibek Debroy committee in 2015 have noted that “departmentalism” is a major problem in the system.
· Most committees have said merger of the services in some form would be a solution.
What will change with the restructure?
· In inter-departmental seniority a complex process to fix, which has led to court cases in the past problems arise when different services compete for posts that are open to all — like those of Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs), GMs, and subsequently, the Chairman Railway Board.
· Another aspect is the suitability of jobs. The move, many say, emerges from the “simplistic” belief that while non-technical specialists cannot do technical jobs, technocrats can do both.
· The counter-argument is that civil servants in government, by virtue of the screening process and subsequent training, possess acumen and skills that go beyond academic specialisation.
What happens next?
· The current demand is for two distinct services instead of one — a civil services, and one that encompasses all engineering specialisations. The logic is that functionally, departments will continue to exist through various technical and non-technical specialisations, so merging them will not end departmentalism per se.
· The government has on record assured all existing officers that no one’s seniority will be hampered and promotion prospects will be protected.
MURALIDHARAN 5 years
Kindly review
IAS Parliament 5 years
Avoid listing out points and try to explain them and discuss the need for restructuring railways. Keep Writing.
Shantanu tiwari 5 years
Please review
IAS Parliament 5 years
Try to discuss the need for reforms. Keep Writing.
Abhilasha 5 years
Please review.
IAS Parliament 5 years
Good attempt. Keep Writing.