Cabinet okays downsizing of Rly Board

Major changes

• The strength of the Railway Board will come down from eight to five, including the chairman

• There will be only two departments—Railway Protection Force and Medical Service Department

• All top managerial posts will be filled through a unified examination for the Indian Railway Management Service

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 24

The government today decided to restructure and downsize the Railway Board by merging various department cadres. All top managerial posts would now be filled through a unified examination for the Indian Railway Management Service.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said the restructuring of the Railways would end departmentalism. He was briefing media after the Union Cabinet meeting that decided to downsize the strength of the Railway Board from eight to five, including the chairman, and merging its different cadres and departments into a single entity.

To operationalise the decision of the Union Cabinet, a Committee of Secretaries would be formed to evolve implementing mechanism to ensure that none of the existing officers of the Railways lose on their seniority and grade, the minister said. “Recruitment of top managers in the Railways will be done through a unified exam—Indian Railways Management Service—and it may commence from 2021,” he said.

Instead of Railway Board members for traffic, rolling stock, traction and engineering, the newly constituted board will have five members, including those for operation, business development, infrastructure and finance among others, he said.

The Railways will now have only one cadre (Indian Railway Service), instead of the current eight services for various departments.

There will be only two departments—Railway Protection Force and Medical Service Department—with all other departments coming under one railway management system.

Sources said this was done to ensure the end of turf wars among different cadres and departments. Restructuring of the board was also recommended by the Bibek Debroy Committee on Indian Railways in 2015.