Running of freight trains in a Block through “Convoy Movement”



  • Shri Piyush Goyal chairs a review meeting with senior officers of Railway Board and Zonal Railways on this innovative Freight Convoy Initiative


  • Shri Piyush Goyal has been closely following up on the implementation of this initiative This would help in improving mobility of rakes required for coal loading as well as other commodities


  • Running of freight trains in a block through Convoy Movement by creating coaching free corridors has been a major initiative undertaken since September, 2018, for improving freight throughput, especially on the coal carrying routes. Minister of Railways & Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal has been closely following up on the implementation of this initiative.


  • This innovative way of running freight traffic has been successfully implemented on Korba-Bilaspur-Anupur-New Katni-Agasod/Bina-Jhansi-Kota routes, Ghaziabad-Allahabad-Pt. Deen Dayal Upadyaya Junction routes and Bilaspur-Jharsuguda-Rourkela sections. This convoy system was also tried on the Asansol-Jhajha-Barauni section (251.65 kms) on 3rd/4th November, 2018 which was successful.


  • In order to maximize throughput during the coaching free corridors, detailed planning of loads, locomotives and crews is being done. Senior officers are deputed in the control offices to monitor the planning, ordering and running of freight trains in the convoy. Traffic inspectors and loco inspectors are deputed to foot-plate in the locomotives of the freight trains to ensure no time loss takes place in the clearance of block sections.


  • Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Coal chairing a review meeting of the senior officers of Railway Board and Zonal Railways on this innovative Freight Convoy Initiative applauded the all out efforts put in by Railway Officers and staff in successful implementation of this movement. He further said that successful endeavors should be made to expand the Freight Capacity of Indian Railways without compromising the overall passenger movement and maintenance requirements.




Government approves the process of constitution of new Boards of Governors for the IIMs as per the IIM Act 2017.



  • The Government has today approved the process of constitution of new Boards of Governors for the IIMs as per the IIM Act 2017."The process of constitution of Boards for the IIMs, which have been given full powers of running the institutions, is a major development which signals complete autonomy of quality institutions in higher education and will ensure quality expansion of higher education", said Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Human Resources Development after approving the process of constitution of Boards for the (20) IIMs in accordance with the IIM Act 2017.


  • This process is in accordance with the provisions of the Section 10 of the IIM Act 2017, andhas been approved in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice.


  • The IIM Act is a historical step of the Govt which for the first time, provided comprehensive autonomy to the higher educational institutions. In accordance with the spirit of the Act, Govt has decided to immediately withdraw the Govt nominees who are in excess of the provisions of the Act. This will pave way for complete control of the institutions by reputed academicians and alumni.


  • The process of constitution of the first Boards as laid down in Section 10 of the Act would be kicked off with the (3) Ex-officio members. who will select Chairperson, who shall normally be the current Chairperson and would be given the full term under the new Act(except where there are issues of ineligibility). Then on, the Chairperson would lead the further process of constitution of the Boards as laid down under the Act.


  • Thereafter, the Board consisting of Chairperson and ex-officio members will co-opt (5) alumni from each of the IIMs, who will normally be the current serving members, except in cases of ineligibility.


  • In the first meeting of the Board, the regulations for selection of (4) eminent persons and two faculty members would be framed; and based on this, normally the current serving persons would be selected for a full term. This process is expected to be completed before 15th Dec 2018.


  • On completion of the constitution of the Boards in the above manner, the Rules under the IIM Act would be issued, which would bring out the operational details more clearly.