Railways to review policy regarding re-engagement of Group ‘C’ staff
| Date :13-Jul-2020 |
By Dheeraj Fartode ;
A copy of the circular has been sent to members of AIRF, NFIR and members of Department Council, National Council and Secretaries
THOUSANDS of retired Railway employees who have been re-engaged by Indian Railways to fill huge vacancies across the India, may lose their jobs soon. Ministry of Railways has issued a circular to all Zonal Railways/Production Units to terminate Group ‘C’ staff with a view to reduce cost and improve savings in Establishment- related expenditure.
The Railway Board is engaging ex-employees to fill up thousands of vacancies across zones on contractual basis for last several years. These re-engaged employees are getting fixed salaries per month. The circular issued by M M Rai, Director Establishment, Railway Board on Friday stated, “With a view to reduce cost and improve savings in Establishment-related expenditure, it has been decided by Full Board that General Managers may review and personally decide the quantum of re-engaged Group ‘C’ staff to continue only where it is absolutely necessary for safety reasons.”
The circular further read, “Railways may, therefore, review services of all re-engaged employees except services of those engaged in healthcare-related services including para-medical staff. After review, General Managers may permit Railways to continue services of staff where it is absolutely necessary for safety reasons. As regards other re-engaged retired employees, whose services are not found to be absolutely necessary for safety reasons, they may be considered for termination.”
A copy of the circular was sent to office-bearers of All India Railway Federation (AIRF), National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) and all members of Department Council and National Council and Secretaries. Sources said that circular was issued only to save expenditure in railways. As railways have privatised its work, the staff is surplus. Former trade union leader Vinod Chaturvedi said that railways was calling applications from ex-employees for filling up vacancies every year. Many of these employees were given secondary duties in various departments, he said.
“The point of safety of employees is also involved in the circular as government has already asked to not call staff above 55 age for duty,” he further said. Experts said, the decision to re-engage retired employees when several lakhs of young graduates were jobless was wrong. Government should take urgent steps to fill up one lakh plus vacancies in safety categories as full-fledged passenger train operations will commence post lockdown.
