Source: https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/trendingtopics/approved-railway-projects-up-five-fold-in-first-eight-months/ar-AA14kWqK
Publisher: Times of India
The number of projects approved by the railways has increased more than five-fold in the first eight months of 2021-22 compared to the entire previous financial year. Also, the number of approvals for surveys to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) has touched 363 so far this financial year against 57 in the previousfiscal.
Streamlining decisionmaking after setting up the GatiShakt i directorate and delegating of powers to officers, including up to divisional railway managers (DRMs), seems to yield results for the railways. Since the creation of the directorate, the time taken for sanctioning of projects has drastically reduced as proposalsdon’t shuttle from one department to another now.
Considering this change, the railways is now focussing on getting the right manpower f rom the DRM level onwards.
Officials said as a part of its plan to transform the Indian Railways in the next few years, the national transporter is now focussing on its key manpower, abo ve the rankDRMs. They added that after the selection of general managers, who are additional secretary level officers, under the new regime where efficiency and n ot age has been ma de the criteria, the railways is set to follow the same process for empanelling of DRMs and other senior officers.
“The process of delegation of power on tender-related matters from minister to members in the Railway Board and GMs started eight years ago and now to the DRM level. So, when they are becoming the key driving force, there is a need to get the best and efficient manpower. Therefore, the same norm will be applied for empanelment of other senior railway officers in a phased manner,” said a senior ministry official.
