Individual letter for retired employees

Dear comrades,

        You are well aware that the Government of India, Department of pension and welfare issued order to revise pension of employees who are retired before 01/01/2016, to give parity of pension with post 2016 retirees

           In order to achieve this decision Government of India decided to fix the pay notionally in every pay commission, adopting the pay fixation formulae prescribed after every pay commission and finally fix their pay in 01/01/2016.

           Taking into consideration, that the NPA of 25% basic pay of the Medical Officers also to be taken to arrive at the pension, a separate order also be issued. As per this separate order the pay should be notionally fixed in intervening as well as in VII CPC, by taking the fixation formulae separately given for medical officer, in every pay commission implementation, as DA is calculated not only on basic pay but the NPA also. Finally after notionally fixing their pay as on 01/01/2016, the 25% NPA should be added, and pension should be fixed.

           This separate order issued to medical officer, was made applicable to medical officer of Railway also by the Railway Board in line with Government of India order. 

           The running staff of Indian Railway also get 55% pay element for retirement benefit, like that of 25% NPA of medical officers, and also a separate fixation formulae for fixing pay on every pay commission recommendation. 

           Despite this similarity between medical officers and Running staff, the Railway Board issued an order no. RBE 13/2018, for revision of pension w.e.f 01/01/2016 of running staff who retired before 01/01/2016, totally deviating from the method of notional fixation prescribed for the Medical Officers of Railway.

           First, Railway Board Order no: RBE 13/2018, says that the fixation of pay should not be with the separate fixation formulae given to Running staff after every pay commission, but should only take the fixation formulae given to other staff. In effect the higher fixation normally accrued to running staff on account of additional DA on 30% pay element is totally nullified. But in the case of Medical officers, the separate fixation formulae derived on account of additional DA on 25% NPA is taken for fixation of notional pay. The double stand is clearly apparent and the Running Staff is discriminated and singled out.

           Added to that, 25% of NPA of medical officers is added after notionally fixing their pay as on 01/01/2016(VII CPC scale), in the case of running staff the order says that the 55% pay element need not be added after notional fixation of pay as on 01/01/2016, but add the 55% pay element to the basic pay at the actual time of retirement.

           Had the pension is revised according to the Government of India order, the existing pension of pre-2016 retired running staff will be increased by 15% to 30%. By introducing a new method of calculation by the Railway Board, the existing pension of pre-2016 will get reduced rather than increase.

           All the unions viz, AILRSA, NFIR, AIRF and many pensioners associations sent their representations demanding to withdraw the Railway Board circular and asked to issue fresh Railway Board order in line with the Government of India order, especially pertaining to medical officers. A delegation of AILRSA apprised the position to CRB and Additional Member Staff, when they met them at CRB’s Chamber on 23/02/2018. But still the order is not been rectified. Therefore this association decided to sent individual inland letter campaign to Chairman, Railway Board, by the pre-2016 retired running staff, including the Guards.

           I know that finding all the retired running staff who retired before 01/01/2016 is a tough job for our Divisional/Branch comrades. But we are duty bound to stand with them, as these retired employees, in their hay days stood with the Association, and struggled for the welfare of the Running Staff besides, still, even after retirement they are working will the Association for the betterment of running staff. Therefore even effort to be taken to approach the retired staff and get their signature in the Inland letter between 5th April to 15th April and be posted. Printing of inland letter may be taken up by the division. The matter for inland is follows:-

   Thanking you


Ernakulam,                                                                                                               Yours faithfully

30/03/2018.                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   MN PRASAD, Secretary General AILRSA.


REPRESENTATION FROM PRE 01-01-2016 RAILWAY RUNNING STAFF PENSIONERS/FAMILY PENSIONERS DATE: 05/15-04-2018
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

From,

Name:

Designation:

Depo/Railway:

Date of Retirement:

To

       The Hon’ Chairman,

        Railway Board, Rail Bhavan,

         New Delhi.

 Sir,       


I, humbly, request your good self to kindly Review the instructions issued by the Joint Director Finance(Est),Railway board vide its’ Letter No.D- 43/34/2017-F(E)III dated 24-01-2018(RBE 13/2018) as they run counter to the intent and purport of the policy decision of the Government of India, communicated for implementation, in the matter of revision of pension of pre 2016 pensioners/family pensioners ,vide Ministry of Personnel, PG & pensions, Department of Pension & pensioners’ welfare No.38/37/2016-P&PW(A) dated 12 -05-2017 and the corresponding Railway Board letter number being 2016/F(E)III/1(1)/7 dated 22-05-2017. As a result of these Railway Board instructions dated 24-01-2018, the objectives sought to be achieved for conferring parity of pension between the pre 01-01-2016 Retirees and the post 01-01-2016 Retirees, have been shattered rather defeated, particularly in the case of running staff.


The 7th pay commissions dwelt at length about the parity of pension between pre and post 7th CPC Retirees and made its recommendations. Upon, consideration of these recommendations and the report containing the recommendations submitted by the committee constituted by Government ,”it has been decided that the revised pension/family pension w.e.f.01-01-2016 in respect of all central civil pensioners/family pensioners, including CAPF’s, who retired/died prior to 01-01-2016, may be revised by notionally fixing their pay in the pay matrix recommended by the 7th cpc in the level corresponding to the pay in the pay scale/pay band and grade pay at which they retired/died. This will be done by notional pay fixation under each intervening pay commission based on the formula for revision of pay. While fixing pay on notional basis, the pay fixation formulae approved by the government and other relevant instructions on the subject in force at the relevant time shall be strictly followed. 50% of the notional pay as on 01-01-2016 shall be the revised pension and 30% of this notional pay shall be the revised family pension w.e.f. 01-01-2016 as per the first formulation.


This methodology was scrupulously followed in respect of all central civil pensioners including medical practitioners’ in\ Indian railways. In Railways the running staff is paid running allowances and medical practitioners are paid Non Practicing allowances. They are taken into consideration for different purposes including for fitment formula for revision of pay in the intervening pay commissions and for calculation of pensionary benefits. But, strangely, these benefits are deprived to the pre 01-01-2016 retired running staff by R.B. Letter dated 24-01-2018, resulting in heavy loss to them; increasing the disparity in pension than parity in pension between pre and post running staff retirees. Where as complete parity is ensured in the case of medical practitioners, vide RBE No. 154/2017.

The approach of Railway board towards running staff is highly discriminatory and opposed to equality being most arbitrary and is violative of art.14, 16&21 of constitution of India.

I, therefore, request for your urgent intervention into this matter to undo the injustice done to running staff, by issuing revised orders to ensure parity in pension as in the case of medical practitioners. Accordingly, for the purpose of revision of pension of pre 01-01-2016 retired Running staff, in accordance with D O P OM No:38/37/2016-P&PW(A) dated 12-05-2017, their pay will be notionally revised w e f 01-01-2016 based on the formula for revising of pay as applicable to the Running staff in the 7th CPC as well as in the intervening pay commissions. The 55% pay element as applicable on 01-01-2016 shall be added to such notional pay as on 01-01-2016 to arrive at pension/family pension of retired running staff with effect from 01-01-2016.

Thanking you,

                                                                                                yours faithfully



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