Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu has earmarked ₹50 crore to offer innovation grants to employees, start-ups and growth-oriented small businesses to support internal and external innovation.

“On an annual basis we will seek out solutions to the Railways most critical problems through an innovation challenge,” Prabhu said in his Rail budget speech.

The initiative will be administered by an Innovation Committee comprising reputed investors, representatives from the National Academy of Indian Railways, Railway Board and Kayakalp headed by Ratan Tata.

A programme management structure will be put in place to manage this initiative.

This year, the areas of challenge are: accessibility to trains from low-level platforms; increasing capacity of coaches; and digital capabilities at stations. Kayakalp, the Innovative Council of Indian Railways, was set up last year by the Ministry.

The Railways will also set up innovation labs in all its workshops and production units to support creative innovation by locals and staff.

Students and start-ups have welcomed Prabhu’s move.

“The most exciting addition on this year’s Budget for me, as a student, is the innovation grant that will pave way for smart ideas and talent on-board the railway,” said Anoop Prakash, an IIM Shillong student.

The Railway also plans to upgrade the Vadodara-based National Academy of Indian Railways into a full-fledged university by the next financial year. “Plans to set up a railway university is futuristic,” added Prakash of IIM Shillong.

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