The Union Railway Minister Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu has announced the proposal to get a systems audit conducted for review of all processes and procedures being followed in Zonal Railways. Introducing the Railway Budget for 2015-16 in Parliament today he said that the delegation and empowerment should be accompanied with accountability and responsibility and also monitoring from the apex to ensure that the organisation’s objectives are being met.

 He informed the members that an exercise in identification of global benchmarks for key operating and maintenance activities is being carried out.

 The Minister also announced the proposal to introduce the EPC system of contracting all over Indian Railways with a view to timely completion of projects. Railways intend to improve upon the existing appraisal mechanism for the selection of projects and introduce simulation tools for project planning and decision-making.

Systems audit to review railway processes, paired with accountability, EPC contracting and improved project appraisal for timely delivery. Proposal to conduct a systems audit of Zonal Railway processes, align delegation with defined accountability and apex monitoring, identify global benchmarks for key operating and maintenance activities, adopt EPC contracting across railways for timely project completion, strengthen project appraisal, and introduce simulation tools for planning and decision making.