Ratan Tata to head Indian Railway’s innovation council 'Kayakalp'

Ratan Tata, former chairman of Tata Sons was on Thursday appointed as the head of 'Kayakalp' council, an innovation council of the Indian Railways, which would recommend innovative methods and processes for the improvement, betterment and transformation of the Indian Railways.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu today announced the constitution of the 'Kayakalp' council with Ratan Tata as its head.

Earlier, presenting his maiden Railway budget on 26 February, Prabhu had announced that Indian Railways would set up an innovation council called 'Kayakalp' to help business re-engineering and introduce a spirit of innovation in the railways. (See: Railways to set up innovation council dubbed 'Kayakalp').

The council would be a standing body and would interact with all stakeholders and other interested parties, a press release by the ministry of railways stated.

Besides Ratan Tata, the council would have All-India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF) general secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra and National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) general secretary M Raghavaiah - leaders of the two recognised federations representing the railway employees - as members.

Former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai is likely to be a member of the innovation council, reports said.

The committee's terms of reference are being finalised and are expected to be notified within the next few days.

The railway minister while presenting the Railway Budget 2015-16 in Parliament had said, "Every dynamic and thriving organisation needs to innovate and re-invent its practices."

"In accordance with the vision of the Prime Minister for Innovation, Technology Development and Manufacturing, the Indian Railways intend to set up an innovation council called 'Kayakalp' for the purpose of business re-engineering and introducing a spirit of innovative in Railways," he had said.