Railways tenders to come under general managers

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has decided to delegate commercial decisions, including processing and awarding of tenders, to General Managers and officials who execute these decisions.

E  Sreedharan has been asked to recommend proper system and procedures for it. The committee will submit an interim report within two weeks and a final report in a period not exceeding three months. The committee has been notified on late Thursday evening.

“The minister is keen on expediting the implementation of various railway projects with full efficiency and transparency in the working.

The very first decision the railway minister took is that, no tendering process will be dealt with at the level of the minister and instead the powers will be delegated to the operating levels so that proper efficiency in decision making is ensured,” said ministry sources.

“Sreedharan has been appointed to suggest a proper system and procedures to ensure accountability and transparency at the general managers and other functionaries’ level for taking all commercial decisions, including that of tendering,” they said.

The committee will suggest the system and procedure and a manual of instructions to be followed to implement the decision speedily.

Prabhu has directed the Railway Board to prepare a policy of reward and penalty for this purpose.

 It is also proposed to put a system in place wherein incentives would be given for timely completion of railway projects.

The minister has also stressed the use of Management Information System  for proper and time bound disposal of cases. “This is in line with the Prime Ministers’s Mission of Digital India and e-governance,” officials added.