Kayakalp must not end with cosmetic changes
Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu is not one to let the grass grow under his feet. Soon after he had taken charge some five months ago, he had set up committees to advise him on various ways to improve the functioning of the railways. By the time he came to present the Railway Budget on February 26, he had secured key recommendations from these panels, most of which are under his ministry's active consideration, and some have found reflection in his Budget. He promised innovative means to raise money for the cash-strapped public sector behemoth, and within weeks a deal was inked with life Insurance Corporation of India wherein lIC will invest in Indian Railways to the tune of Rs1.5 lakh crore over the next five years. The funds will be utilised by the railways for various capacity augmentation projects.
The investment will come through Rs30,000 crore of bonds issues annually by entities such as the Indian Railway Finance Corporation. Mr Prabhu had in his Budget speech said that Indian Railways needed an investment of Rs8.5 lakh crore over the next five years to get back on track. Clearly, the central budgetary support would not have been adequate to meet these requirements, which is why the Minister had begun to explore new and rarely if ever tried avenues. With 20 per cent of the needed sum already tied up, Mr Prabhu can, with renewed confidence, tap other sources such as multilateral development banks.
For those who have been cribbing that the Railways Minister has been making tall promises without a roadmap for action, these developments are a fitting response. The Minister has been clear that no real change — either in operational efficiency or commuter satisfaction — can be possible without the infusion of substantial funds. But then there are areas where drastic overhauls of functioning can lead to better services on the ground, and they do not require huge sums. For instance, the long-standing recommendation to restructure the functioning of the Railway Board should be taken up without delay. There is no need for the Board to be both the planner and the executioner. From what can be understood by gleaning through Mr Prabhu's postures, it appears that he is favourable to the idea of restructuring the Board.
The Minister's latest in the series of decisions he has taken to overhaul Indian Railways is the creation of Kayakalp, a council to suggest innovative methods for giving new shape and shine to the railways. To be headed by eminent industrialist Ratan Tata, it will have representation from railway union organisations and other prominent personalities from varied areas of activity. While the terms of reference for Kayakalp are being worked out, what is certain is that the council will have to come up with ground-breaking suggestions. The ‘image makeover', which Kayakalp means, will not only have to be more than cosmetic but also implementable. One should trust Mr Prabhu with the task.