Question in Rajyasabha

NOTICE UNDER RULE 180 (A) FOR MENTIONING M A MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE IN THE OUSE (SPECIAL MENTION)

From: Date: 06.08.09

N. BALAGANGA (M.P)

To,
THE SECRETARY GENERAL
RAJYA SABHA, New Delhi

Sir /Madam,

I request the Chairman to permit me to mention the following matter of urgent public importance in the house on 07.06.09.


I wish to draw the attention of the Railway Ministry to the grievances of Loco Running Staff of Indian Railway. They have staged almost all the trade union but in vain. Their demands are 1. Reduce the duty hours at a stretch to 8 hours for Loco Running Staff (Train Driver) 2. Upgrade the grade pay of assistant Loco Pilot to Rs. 2800/- 3. Distinet grade pay for different categories of Loco Pilots. 4. Revised Running allowance according to RAC – 80 formula.

The duty hours to stretch of Loco Running Staff is an issue from th inception of Railway. Many commissions such as justice Rajadhyksha Committee, Railway Labours Tribunal of 1969 submitted their recommendations. Now the duty hours of Loco Running Staff is 13 hours. They are not demanding reduction of duty hours per week which stands at 52 hours. They request that a stretch of duty should not go beyond eight hours a day. The Assistant Loco Pilots are recruited through Recruitment Board. Their responsibility is to run the train safely and punctually. They are paid with grade pay of Rs. 1900/ plus 100 rupees more than the lowest class of Government Employee. This grievance is to be redressed soon. The Loco Pilots working in Goods, Passenger, Mail and Superfast trains. Motorman have with distinct responsibility and require different skill. They all being paid with one and the same grade pay of Rs. 4200/. I sincerely urge upon the Government to persuade the railway Ministry to settle the long pending demands.



(N. BALAGANGA)