Matter for Inland Letter campaign

To 

Shri. Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, 

Hon’ Minister for Railways,

Rail Bhavan, New Delhi.

Sir,

I belong to the Running staff category in the Railways. I do here by register my protest against, the Railway Board order No.ERB-1/2016/23/21 dated 05-05-2016 by which an empowered committee was unilaterally constituted, consisting of Executive Directors of Railway Board under the guise of “for Running Allowance in the 7th CPC pay structure”, with three terms of reference. It is apparent on the face of these terms of references that they are intended to totally unsettle the well settled Pay fitment factor, the quantum of Pay element of 30% / 55% and the formula for calculation of rates of running allowances, which are in vogue and holding the field for the past 4 decades since the time of implementation of 1980 Running Allowances Committee Report. 

It is our experience that whenever the Board intended to curtail existing benefit of staff, they resort to appoint an “in house” committee and taking refuge under those recommendations the benefits are curtailed.

It is our conviction, not mere apprehension, that the wishes of the Railway Board are translated into recommendations through such ‘in house committees’. The recommendations are drawn well before constituting the committee. This undemocratic process is going on for several years. The earlier Running Allowance committees are the examples, through which such attempts were made to withdraw the benefits

The percentage of pay element in running allowance and for retirement benefits is well determined. There is a well defined formula to calculate the rate of the Running allowance as per the formula laid down by the RAC 1980, which stood the ground all along. The Central Pay Commissions also endorsed the same. To fix the pay in the new Pay Matrix recommended by the VIIth CPC, there are well defined procedures that were followed after IVth, Vth and VIth Central Pay Commissions. Therefore there is no need for a review of these three factors. No material change took place on account of VIIth CPC recommendation, warranting a review in relation to the percentage of Pay element, the formula to calculate running allowance rate and the factor to fix the pay in the new Pay Matrix.

The ill motivated move of Railway Board to curtail the existing benefit by reviewing these factors will create serious unrest among the staff. AILRSA and the recognized federations also expressed their objection in this regard. 

Under these compelling situations, I plead before your esteemed honour to intervene in the matter and pass necessary orders directing the Railway Board to follow the existing provisions in this regard and to abolish the empowered committee on Running Allowances in the interest of justice and to promote harmonious industrial relations in the Indian railways.

Thanking you

                                                                                                 Yours faithfully

                                                                                                                Signature

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