Bibek Debroy Committee on Railways

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

In News

• The Bibek Debroy Committee 2015 report aimed to make Indian Railways economically viable and competitive, with a focus on decentralization, safety, and modernization, however, reforms are yet to be implemented completely.  

Key Recommendations and Their Implementation

• Liberalisation of Indian Railways: Introduce private players to enhance competition and improve services.
  • Implementation: Partially implemented. Some PPP projects have been initiated, but full-scale liberalization is yet to be undertaken.
• Empowering Railway Officials: Grant more autonomy to GMs and DRMs for decision-making.
  • Implementation: Implemented. GMs and DRMs have been empowered to take independent decisions, leading to faster decision-making and improved efficiency.
• Overhaul of Accounting System: Implement accrual accounting to improve financial transparency and accountability.
  • Implementation: Implemented. The Indian Railways has adopted accrual accounting.
• Establishment of Rail Development Authority (RDA): Create an independent regulator to oversee railway operations and promote competition.
  • Implementation: Implemented. The RDA has been established to provide expert advice on pricing, non-fare revenue, and competition.
• Focus on Safety: Create a dedicated fund for safety-related investments.
  • Implementation: Implemented. The Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) was established for safety upgrades with a ₹1 lakh crore fund.
• Recommended modern technology, exemplified by Vande Bharat trains and KAVACH systems.

Image Courtesy: TOI

Suggested Reading: Indian Railways and Safety Challenges

Source: IE