Rlys panel studying formula to end stagnation of Supervisory cadre

 

 

 

To address the issue of stagnation among Supervisors working in Indian Railways, Railway Board constituted a Committee to recommend modalities for looking into the aspect of their stalled promotion avenues. Supervisory Categories form the backbone of railways operation and they are feeling disillusioned owing to absence of a policy to ensure their career advancement. Often, many of them retire from service without getting recognition of their long drawn services after reaching the apex scale in Group C. For the same, the Railway Board has set-up the committee to study in depth the service rules, the available promotion avenues and how to go about granting them Group B, whether same should be functional or non functional, would also have to be considered.

 

The Committee consists of following officers of Railway Board EDPC, as its Convener, EDE(GC), EDE(N), EDCE(G), EDF(E), all Members. The terms of reference for the Committee are to study the issue of stagnation at L-7 and to suggest modalities to improve promotion prospects for all Supervisory category. To study implications and suggest ways for allotting Group B status to Supervisors by upgrading them to Level-8 vide RBE’s circular no. 155/2022. Further, the officers are asked to suggest rules by which the promotion policy gets aligned with the classification policy of Ministry of Railways with that of DOP&T. The Committee was directed to submit its report within 6-weeks from the date of constitution and it may be have already done so. The committee took views of all stakeholders into consideration before finalising recommendations.

 

Post receipt of report, the PC-VII Branch is going to study implementation of its recommendations and all related issues including Parliament Questions, RTI cases and other formalities about the Committee, said the notification issued by Ashok Kumar, Under Secretary (Estt.)-III, Railway Board. In fact, Ministry of Finance had approved upgradation of pay structure of certain cadres and Railway Board had also issued a notification in that regard in November, 2022. The same was meant for upgrading the pay structure of certain Group C' cadres of Ministry of Railways and the formula determined was upgradation of 50% posts from Level-7 (PB-2lGP-4600)/Group C to Level-8 (PB-2/GP-4800)/Group C. Further upgradation of these 50% posts in Level-8 (PB-2/GP-4800)/Croup 'C' to Level-9 (PB-2/GP-5400)/Croup C on non-functional basis after 4 years of service in Level-8 (PB-2/GP-4800) was also accepted by DoP&T.

 

Despite the issue being already sorted out, Board decision to again constitute a committee has surprised the officers in Supervisor category as they feel the matter is now getting delayed. The Board had in last year circular also listed the modalities and the cadre that would be covered by the same and that included in Civil Engineering Senior Section Engineer (SSE) seven categories, eight in Electrical Engg Branch, 14 in Mechanical Engg, six in Signal & Telecommunication Branch, two in Stores Department, eight in Traffic/Commercial Branch, two in Personnel Branch. The non-functional promotional was to be implemented in two phases and thereafter every year on July 1. Similarly to ensure that the pay scale upgradation do not add to financial burden, the Board said matching savings through surrender of lower end posts to should be carried out at field level. The same would start from Level-1 of each of the departments.