Letter demanding DA arears through bank

From                                                                        Bangalore.

G.Rajan,   
                                                                   10.10.2011

No.90, II Main, II Cross, Ramakrishnanagar,

Railwaymen Layout, Nandini Layout IV Block,

Bangalore – 560 096.

To

1)     GM/SWR,

2)     FAO&CAO/SWR.

Sirs,

Sub:  Payment of ‘DA-arrears’ through bank-Reg.

Ref:  1.NREU letter dated 30.8.2011.

        2)GM/UBL/SWR DO No.SWR/p.401 dated 14.7.2004.

        3)DPO/SBC Lr.No.B/P.483/CP/SBC dated 13.12.2005.

******

With reference to the above subject and the references, it is submitted with much respect as under.

Though the information we have at our end is incomplete and inaccurate as on date, it is felt that the authorities had made sincere efforts to support the pleading of this organization vide Ref.1 and quite a number of employees of SWR got their ‘PLB-2011’ through Bank.

Even as the organization is on the job of securing information on the subject matter authentically, the available information indicate that our plea met with more success in SBC division. We convey our thanks to DRM/SBC by means of extending a copy of this representation. 

Banking on your good will we request that ‘DA-arrears’ round the corner may be arranged through bank in conformity with the mode of last ‘DA-arrears’ payment which was effected through bank.

I avail this opportunity to place before you a representation of a SM/TVC Dn/SR since in my letter cited under Ref.1,  I abstained from speaking on the serious ills of ‘cash-payment’ due to various reasons. But Shri. T.Mohandas, Station Manager, Chalakudi, TVC Division of  SR in his letter addressed to CVC/NDLS dated 26.02.2010 has categorically spoken about the bad side of cash payment. I think it is appropriate to share the information with you.

I reproduce the representation of Shri.Mohan Das, SMR/CKI in verbatim.

“I am a Railway Employee currently working as Station Manager of Chalakudi Railway Station in the Thiruvananthapuram division of the Indian Railways. I am bringing this representation purely in my individual capacity as a Govt of India employee praying for a permanent solution to my grievance since my department has not been able to redress it all these years.

System of Bank Payment of Salary.

I understand that it was a Government of India decision to arrange all kinds of payments to the employees through banks. I also understand that Reserve Bank of India and Central Vigilance Commission had also issued relevant orders in this respect. Through Bank payment of salaries and other dues, we have been able to save not only time but all the departments have also been able to save big amount of money that is needed for direct cashier payment. This was accepted by Ministry of railways (Railway Board) also and through various orders we were asked to opt for Bank payment system. Now it has now become an accepted practice in letter and spirit. I have been receiving my salary through bank for the last 20 years. But I must bring to the attention of your office that not even a single occasion my department has arranged bonus through bank. I have been making representations repeatedly every year for bank payment of bonus. Every time I was given false promises only.

Shameful Things during Bonus Payment.

This time also (October 2010) bonus was paid through cashier. We had many times represented in the past about the harassment we face during the disbursement of bonus. Three to four different unions each comprising about ten people used to harass us for donations. Most of them would be drunk also. They follow the cashier from station to station one after another in separate vehicles. The 4 lady staffs of our station say it is like facing a persecution to be present on the day of bonus disbursement. Giving donations is one’s individual freedom. Like wise there are many staffs who do not want to be part of this. This freedom of ours is sabotaged in the present situation. And Railway Administration has been directly supporting this harassment through repeated circulars issued year after year just ahead of Pooja Holidays for cashier payment of bonus.

Basis for this representation.

There are 22 staffs at the office where I am employed now. All of them do not want cashier payment of bonus. And all of us have been receiving salary through banks only. We never wanted cashier payment of bonus. Still Railway Administration in the Thiruvananthapuram Division arranged bonus through cashier stating that it was an order from the Railway Board. Therefore I wanted to find out how and where a noble and honest system co-ordered by CVC and RBI gets sabotaged in the administrative corridors of the Railway Board and the things got revealed are brought to the notice of your august office.

First Order from the RB.

On 07.10.2010 Railway Board issued an order bearing No.E(P&A)11-2010/PLB-4 and RBE No.147/2010 signed by Salim Md Ahmed Deputy Director in which it was said under para 5 that “It is also advised that the admissible amount in respect of employees who receive their salary in bank accounts be credited to their accounts unless such employees give an option to receive the PLB in cash.” This order clearly stated that we could receive bonus through bank unless we opted otherwise. (Copy of this order is attached as annexure-1)

Second Order from the RB.

But on 08.10.2010 Railway Board issued another order bearing No.E(P&A)11-2010/PLB-4 and RBE No.148/2010 signed by Chander Parkash Joint Director in which it was said under para 2 that “On reconsideration, it has now been decided that the advice given in Para 5 of Board’s letter ibid may be treated as withdrawn and the payment of PLB to non-gazetted Railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) may be made as was done during last year.” By this second order issued the second day of the first order we lost the chance of receiving bonus through bank as desired by RBI and CVC since the system in the previous year had also been through cashier.(Copy of this order is attached as annexure-2)

The Reason for Reconsideration.

Therefore I prayed through an RTI application dated 12.10.2010 as to why the reconsideration was made, to provide the materials based on which this reconsideration was made and also why those employees who wanted their PLB through banks were denied such a facility. My points raised in the application as quoted in their introductory page of the reply is attached as annexure-3. The copies of relevant file noting and a letter from a union secretary are also attached as annexure-4 and annexure-5 for your perusal. The file noting was a sequel to the letter of the union secretary requesting roll back of the earlier decision and for ordering afresh cashier payment of bonus.

Reconsideration on the basis of lies.

The union secretary claims in his letter that they were making the demand for cashier payment of bonus in the interest of the employees and that “the employees have always welcomed cash payment and opposed bank payment”. This is a not true and is baseless. He further sounds in his letter that because of long holidays the banks would be closed and employees would find it difficult to get the bonus. This is also not true and is quite unfounded. The ATM facility would make the employees get the money at least two days ahead of the cashier payment. For that they need not even go to the bank at all. This is the truth and reality. Still some officers in the Railway Board believed those things.  Soon after the cash payment of bonus last year, we the employees of Chalakudi station made a representation to the Divisional Railway Manager in which we made our opposition to cashier payment of bonus. There are 22 staffs at this station, all the 22 opposed cashier payment. A copy of that representation is also attached as annexure-6. This must be the view, wish, feeling and attitude of the majority of the employees elsewhere.

Suspected Connivance.

Sir, this is the ground reality. The case of my station can be taken as a model representation of the view of the employees. This is known not only to the unions but also to our officers. Last year’s case is also a model representation of how an honest system gets sabotaged year after year by some unions and Railway Officers. Sir, this is what happens. Railway Board would first issue an order as per the norms. Soon they would modify and re-modify it to suit to the wish of certain unions. This reconsideration is the result of clandestine understanding between certain officers and these union leaders. This is my strong doubt and gut feeling.”

(The above is available in www.aisma.in)

The above letter is frank and should be able to convince anyone to act appropriately without fear or favour. Therefore this organization urges your good self to arrange all payments only through bank in the future.

Thanking you,

With regards,

(G.Rajan)

LA/NREU.

(Hard copy by registered post to GM and  FA&CAO/SWR/UBL. Soft copies by e mail to DRMs/SBC, MYS and UBL)