Identifying the need for a “total change” in work culture, Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday said the Railways would adopt a result-oriented computerisation programme and set up a mechanism to expedite projects.
He also stressed digitisation of assets to fight encroachment.
The minister said an Innovations Incubation Centre would be set up to harness ideas generated from staff and convert them into practical solutions to increase efficiency.
In his maiden budget speech, Gowda said the Railways had taken up computerisation in a large way but not all efforts have been synergised due to which desired results have not been achieved. As per the vision, the minister has set a deadline of five years to make Railway offices paperless.
“The need of the hour is to bring in a total change in the work culture of Railways and delivery of Railway services by going in for large-scale integrated computerisation of major functions,” he said, adding that Railways will go in for computer-assisted “Enterprise Resource Planning Solution” (ERPS) to improve delivery of services.
The ERPS platform will allow real-time tracking of trains and rolling stock, station navigation information system, computerised parcel management system and extension of logistics support to various e-commerce companies by providing designated pick-up centres at identified stations.
Citing that encroachment of Railway land was leading to legal cases, Gowda announced digitisation and GIS mapping of land assets.
“This would help Railways in protecting the lands as well as leveraging it for raising resources. The resource mobilisation using land assets will be explored through private participation in setting up railway-related business in railway lands as well as for commercial development,” he said.
To ensure transparency, Gowda said, strategic policies will be adopted to make the procurement process transparent and efficient. “E-procurement will be made compulsory for procurements worth Rs 25 lakh and above.
For the convenience of State governments and other stakeholders, the status of ongoing projects will be made available online,” he added.
In order to overcome delays in project execution, he said a Project Management Group would be set up at the level of the Railway Board. Similarly, to expedite the projects at the ground level, a Project Monitoring and Coordination Group consisting of officials of state government, Railways and professionals would be set up.
Railways will also invite undergraduates of engineering and management studies for summer internships.