Bibek Debroy Committee’s on Railways

Source: IE

Context: The Bibek Debroy Committee’s 2015 report outlined transformative reforms for Indian Railways, focusing on viability and competitiveness, though several key recommendations remain unimplemented.

Key Recommendations of Bibek Debroy Committee (2015)

• Liberalization (Not Privatization): Allow entry of private operators to enhance growth and competition. Status: Not implemented due to opposition; PPP projects limited to goods services.

• Allow entry of private operators to enhance growth and competition.

• Status: Not implemented due to opposition; PPP projects limited to goods services.

• Empowering Field Officers: Delegation of decision-making powers to GMs and DRMs for greater autonomy. Status: Partially implemented with increased decentralization efforts.

• Delegation of decision-making powers to GMs and DRMs for greater autonomy.

• Status: Partially implemented with increased decentralization efforts.

• Railway Board Restructuring: Redesignate Chairman as CEO with decision-making powers. Status: Implemented in 2020 with restructured Railway Board.

• Redesignate Chairman as CEO with decision-making powers.

• Status: Implemented in 2020 with restructured Railway Board.

• Independent Rail Regulator: Establish Rail Development Authority (RDA) for pricing and competition promotion. Status: RDA approved in 2017 but with limited functioning.

• Establish Rail Development Authority (RDA) for pricing and competition promotion.

• Status: RDA approved in 2017 but with limited functioning.

• Accounting Reforms: Transition to accrual-based accounting to improve financial transparency. Status: Implemented across Indian Railways.

• Transition to accrual-based accounting to improve financial transparency.

• Status: Implemented across Indian Railways.

• Offloading Non-Core Activities: Relieve Railways of responsibilities like RPF, medical, and educational facilities. Status: Under consideration.

• Relieve Railways of responsibilities like RPF, medical, and educational facilities.

• Status: Under consideration.

• Safety Upgrades: Create Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) for safety asset renewal with ₹1 lakh crore corpus. Status: Extended till 2027 with additional funding of ₹45,000 crore.

• Create Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) for safety asset renewal with ₹1 lakh crore corpus.

• Status: Extended till 2027 with additional funding of ₹45,000 crore.

• Technology Integration: Synergize technology, exemplified by Vande Bharat trains and KAVACH systems. Status: Being actively implemented.

• Synergize technology, exemplified by Vande Bharat trains and KAVACH systems.

• Status: Being actively implemented.

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