Ratan Tata to Head Railways' Innovation Council 'Kaya Kalp'

New Delhi: Moving ahead to fulfil his Budget promises, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday constituted a council called 'Kaya Kalp' and appointed noted industrialist Ratan Tata as its head.

The purpose of the council is to recommend innovative methods and processes for the improvement, betterment and transformation of Railways, Mr Prabhu told PTI.

Besides Tata Group's chairman emeritus, the Kaya Kalp Council will have two railway union leaders Shiv Gopal Mishra and M Raghuvaiah.

"We are trying to implement all the proposals made in the Budget speech. Many of the ideas are being implemented now and setting up of Kaya Kalp Council was one of the proposals," Mr Prabhu said.

Stressing that every dynamic and thriving organisation needs to innovate and reinvent its practices, the minister said Railways intends to set up an innovation council called "Kaya Kalp" for the purpose of business re-engineering and introducing a spirit of innovative in the state-run transporter.

"Today we are announcing of appointment of Ratan Tata who is no longer in business, but he has rich experience, as Chairman of the Kaya Kalp Council which will be looking at business re-engineering," he further said.

The council will have two leaders of two main federations of railways as its members. "It means all employees of Railways are also members of the Council," Mr Prabhu said.

Shiv Gopal Mishra, General Secretary of All Indian Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF), and M Raghavaiah, General Secretary of National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) - the two recognised federations representing Railways employees - are also appointed as members.

Mr Prabhu said, "Kaya Kalp is not possible without any new idea and new experience. So, Ratan Tata and these two distinguished leaders are now part of the Council. We will also appoint more members in due course."

He said the mandate of the council would be to suggest ways for betterment of Railways.