Ministry of Railways constitutes Ajay Shankar Committee to review PPP Cell functioning

Union Ministry of Railways has constituted a Committee to review the existing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Cell in the Railway Board with former IAS officer Ajay Shankar as its head.
The Committee will recommend measures needed to make the PPP Cell more customer friendly, effective and result oriented.
The Infrastructure Directorate of Railway Board will be the Nodal Directorate for functioning of the Committee. While the Executive Director/Traffic (PPP) Railway Board will be the Secretary to the Committee.
Ajay Shanka is former Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under the aegis of Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Background

• During the Rail budget speech in February 2015, Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had promised to revamp the existing PPP cell in the Railways in order to make it more result oriented.
• Government also had unveiled its plan to invest Rs.8.5 trillion in the railways in next 5 years. By channelizing PPP, railways is seeking to improve its freight business and investment in its infrastructure.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2015