GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 785 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2022
ABOLITION OF 72,000 POSTS BY INDIAN RAILWAYS
SHRI DHIRAJ PRASAD SAHU:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that Indian Railways has abolished nearly 72,000 posts of Group- C and Group- D categories in the last six years, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(b) whether it is also a fact that Railway Board gives such orders without talking to the Employees’ Unions ?
ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) No, Sir. Rationalization of posts is periodically done based on manpower requirement. Manpower planning requires continuous review of sanctioned strength in view of changing workload conditions, introduction of new technologies, working systems, creation of new assets etc. Work studies are regularly conducted for rationalization of manpower in Railways for various activities. This exercise enables Indian Railways to utilize its human resources in most efficient and productive manner.
ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) & (b): Indian Railways is already bearing more than 50% of the cost of travel on an average for all passengers including Senior citizens on account of lower fare structure for passenger services. Apart from this due to Covid 19, passenger earnings for the last two years is less in comparison to 2019-2020. These have long term impact on the financial health of the Railways. Cost of granting concessions weighs heavily on Railways. Hence extending scope of concessions to all categories of passengers, including senior citizens, is not desirable. In spite of these challenges, Indian Railways has continued concession in fare to four categories of persons with disabilities, eleven categories of patients and students.
(c) & (d): Railways operate different types of train services like Garib Rath, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Gatimaan, Tejas, Humsafar, Mail/Express, Ordinary passenger etc. Apart from this different classes 1st AC, 2nd AC, 3rd AC, AC Chair Car, sleeper class, second class reserved/Unreserved etc are available on different fare structures for the use of passengers including Senior citizens who can travel as per their preferences. Apart from this during 2019- 20, 22.62 lakh senior citizen passengers had opted to give up concession scheme in passenger fare and gave up concessions for the sustained development of Railways with better facilities.
Policy to honour Railway Employees and Security Personnel [Rajya Sabha QA]
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.70 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2022
POLICY TO HONOUR RAILWAY EMPLOYEES AND SECURITY PERSONNEL
70 # SMT. GEETA ALIAS CHANDRAPRABHA:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :
(a) whether Government has formulated any policy to honour Railway employees and security personnel who put their lives at risk to save the lives of passengers on several occasions;
(b) if so, the number of security personnel and employees having been honoured during the last one year; and
(c) if not, whether Government proposes to chalk out a scheme to encourage these employees in future?
ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.70 BY SMT. GEETA ALIAS CHANDRAPRABHA ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 22.07.2022 REGARDING POLICY TO HONOUR RAILWAY EMPLOYEES AND SECURITY PERSONNEL
(a) and (b): Yes, Sir. Railway employees including Railway Protection Force personnel who disregard their personal safety leading to protection of life and property on Railways are awarded under the ‘National Railway Awards’ every year in a central function organized by Ministry of Railways. National Railway Awards are presented by Minister of Railways. During the National Railway Awards functions held in the year 2022, a total of 28 Railway employees were awarded under the above referred category.
Cash Awards/medal are also given to legal heirs of those Railway employees who played a commendable role in safeguarding the lives of travelling public and in the process lost their life, during Railway Week celebrations. One Railway employee was awarded posthumously during the central function of National Railway Awards, 2022.
Railway Minister’s Jeewan Raksha Padak was instituted in 2019 to honour a member of RPF who has shown exceptional determination, alertness and exhibited conspicuous presence of mind to save life of any passenger, without caring for his/ her own life. No Award was given during the year 2021.
RPF personnel are also nominated for various gallantry awards instituted by Ministry of Home Affairs. Seven RPF personnel were awarded the above gallantry awards during the year 2021.
DNI under Rule 10 of CCS (Revised Pay) Rules 2016: Dept of Posts Order
F. No 02-16/2017 – PAP(pt) Ministry of Communications Department of Posts [Establishment Division/P.A.P. Section]
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi-110001 Dated: 11th July 2022
To
The Chief Post Master General, Kerala Circle, Thiruvananthapuram 695001.
Sub: Date of next increment under Rule 10 of Central Civil Services (Revised Pay) Rules, 2016 – Clarifications on OM dated 28.11.2019 – regarding.
Sir/ Madam,
Kindly refer your office letter No AP/110-RP-2016/DLGS/2020 dated 03.11.2020 seeking clarification for considering 180 days as 6 months for determining DNI as incase of 5 officials who have one day shortage to complete the required qualifying service as per DoE OM No. 4-21/2017-IC/E-IIA dated 28.11.2019.
2. In this connection, the observations of the Nodal Ministries are as follows:
(i) DoE, vide their ID 04-21/2017-IC/E.III.A dated 10.03.2022 has informed that “As the dispensation provided vide OMs No 04-21/2017-IC/E.IIA dated 30.07.2018 and 28.11.2019 1s in line with principle followed prior to 01.01.2016, treatment of qualifying service of 6 months as 180 days is not appropriate.”
(ii) DoPT, vide their ID Note 2409415/22-Estt. (Pay-I) dated 01.06.2022 quoted para 1 of GOI decision under Rule 25 of CCS (Leave) Rules 1972” The period of absence not covered by grant of leave shall have to be treated as dies-non for all purpose, viz increment, leave and pension. Such absence without leave where it stands singly and not in continuation of any authorized leave of absence will constitute an interruption of service for the purpose of pension and unless the pension sanctioning authority exercises its power under Article 421, Civil Service Regulations (now Rule 27 of CCS (Pension) Rules) to treat the period as leave without allowance, the entire past service will stand forfeited.”
3. It is requested to settle individual representations on the subject, taking into consideration above observations of the Nodal Ministries.
Yours faithfully,
(Sapna) Assistant Director General (Estt.) Phone – 011-28096191 email: [email protected]
AICPIN for June 2022: Expected DA from July 2022 – 4%? | AICPIN June 2022
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT LABOUR BUREAU
F.No. 5/1/2021-CPI
`CLEREMONT’, SHIMLA-171004 DATED: 29 July, 2022
Press Release
Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (2016=100) – June, 2022
The Labour Bureau, an attached office of the M/o Labour & Employment, has been compiling Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers every month on the basis of retail prices collected from 317 markets spread over 88 industrially important centres in the country. The index is compiled for 88 centres and All-India and is released on the last working day of succeeding month. The index for the month of June, 2022 is being released in this press release.
AICPIN for June 2022
The All-India CPI-IW for June, 2022 increased by 0.2 points and stood at 129.2 (one hundred twenty nine point two). On 1-month percentage change, it increased by 0.16 per cent with respect to previous month compared to an increase of 0.91 per cent recorded between corresponding months a year ago.
The maximum upward pressure in current index came from Food & Beverages group contributing 0.20 percentage points to the total change. At item level Potato, Onion, Tomato, Cabbage, Apple, Banana, Coriander, Chilly Dry, Fish Fresh, Poultry Chicken, Vada, Idli Dosa, Cooked Meal, Cooking Gas, kerosene Oil, Electricity Domestic etc. are responsible for the rise in index. However, this increase was largely checked by Petrol for Vehicle, Rice, Mango, Chilli Green, Lemon, Lady Finger, Parwal, Pineapple, Soyabeen Oil, Sunflower Oil etc. putting downward pressure on the index.
At centre level, Puducherry recorded a maximum increase of 2.6 points followed by Amritsar and Tripura with 2.2 and 2.0 points respectively. Among others, 15 centres recorded increase between 1 to 1.9 points, 33 centres between 0.1 to 0.9 points. On the contrary, Sangrur recorded a maximum decrease of 2.4 points. Among others, 5 centers recorded decrease between 1 to 1.9 points, 25 centres between 0.1 to 0.9 points. Rest of 6 centres’ indices remained stationary.
Year-on-year inflation for the month stood at 6.16 per cent compared to 6.97 per cent for the previous month and 5.57 per cent during the corresponding month a year before. Similarly, Food inflation stood at 6.73 per cent against 7.92 per cent of the previous month and 5.61 per cent during the corresponding month a year ago.
Y-o-Y Inflation based on CPI-IW (Food and General)
CPI-IW: Groups Indices
The next issue of CPI-IW for the month of July, 2022 will be released on Wednesday, 31st August, 2022. The same will also be available on the office website www.labourbureaunew.gov.in.
Hon’ble Supreme Court vide its order dated 16.03.2022 directed that in terms of the communication dated 7th November 2015, a re-fixation exercise shall be carried out from 1st July 2019, upon the expiry of five years. Revision of pension under OROP with effect from 01.07.2019 is under process.
This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt in a written reply to Shri Rajmohan Unnithan in Lok Sabha today.
DOPT requested to share ATR for Covid Vaccination Free Precaution Dose to Central Government Employees
F. No. 11013/9/2014-Estt.A-III Government of India Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) ******
North Block, New Delhi Dated the 28 July, 2022
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Covid Vaccination Amrit Mahotsav — Free Precaution Dose to all Central Government Employees as a Preventive measure to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus
The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s OM of even number dated 20.07.2022 vide which the Ministries/Departments were advised to organize ‘Covid Vaccination Amrit Mahotsav Camps’ at the workplaces for providing Free Covid Precaution Doses to the eligible employees and their family members. They were further advised to direct attached & Subordinate Offices and Organizations under their control, including PSUs, to organize Vaccination Camps as well.
2. Ministries/Departments are requested to share the Action Taken Report (ATR), including the ATR in respect of attached/subordinate offices and PSUs under their administrative control, indicating the details of the camps organized/planned to be organized during the Covid Vaccination Amrit Mahotsav (15.07.2022 to 30.09.2022), number of Free precautionary doses administered in those camps and employees covered therein. The status of action taken may be regularly sent on weekly basis, starting from 1.8.2022, at [email protected].
(Umesh Kumar Bhatia) Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
To 1. All the Ministries/Departments of Government of India 2. PMO/Cabinet Secretariat 3. PS to Hon’ble MOS(PP) 4. PSO to Secretary (Personnel) 5. Senior Technical Director, NIC, DOPT — for uploading on website
Exclusion of Central Government Employees from NPS
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS ***
RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1392 TO BE ANSWERED ON THURSDAY, THE 28th JULY, 2022
Exclusion of Central Government Employees from NPS
1392. Shri Javed Ali Khan:
Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:
(a) whether Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare had sought comments of Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) again vide Note dated 24/03/2022, regarding issuing general orders for exclusion of central government employees from the purview of NPS and to cover them under OPS whose advertisements for recruitments were issued on or before 31/12/2003 in view of various judgments of Apex Court;
(b) If so, whether DLA has furnished its final comments in response to above in the month of May, 2022;
(c) If so, full details of comments furnished along with the date thereof; and
ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJTJU)
(a) &(d): Yes Sir, the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW) made a reference dated 24/03/2022 to the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) seeking advice regarding the inclusion of central government employees under Old Pension Scheme on the basis of the date of advertisement being on or before 31/12/2003 of the posts against which they were appointed and whether it would be legally feasible for the DoP&PW to issue executive instructions in this regard.
The issue was examined in the Department of Legal Affairs in the light of the comments given by the Department of Financial Services in the matter and vide note dated 06/05/2022, it was opined that the proposal of the administrative Departments a matter of policy of the administrative Department/Ministry. Further, the notification dated 22/12/2003 is silent about the date which would determine the applicability of NPS – the date of joining or the date of Notification/Advertisement. Also, on the basis of judgments in various court cases, DoP&PW has allowed one-time option to opt for OPS/NPS for employees whose selection for appointment were finalized before 01/01/2004 but joined Government service on or after 01/01/2004 due to administrative lapse in their recruitment process. Therefore, an administrative decision to issue executive instructions providing for coverage of Government servants under OPS who were appointed to Central Government service on or after 01/01/2004 on the basis of advertisement/notification of vacancies issued prior to 01/01/2004 is in order.
Reservations in appointments on Compassionate Grounds – Rajya Sabha QA
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
(DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING)
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1402
(TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2022)
APPOINTMENTS ON COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS
1402 # DR. KIRODI LAL MEENA:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government pays attention towards families of Central Government employees who die in harness and provides appointments on compassionate grounds to such families;
(b) if so, whether any time limit has been set for the same, if not, reasons therefor;
(c) whether there are any provisions for reservations in appointments on compassionate grounds;
(d) if so, number of compassionate appointments made by Government during last five years and number of SC/ST candidates appointed, Ministry-wise/Department-wise; and
(e) number of candidates whose applications for seeking appointment on compassionate grounds are pending so far and by when they are likely to be appointed, the Ministry-wise details thereof?
ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) to (e): Instructions have been issued vide Department of Personnel & Training OM No. 14014/6/94-Estt.(D) dated 09.10.1998, as amended from time to time, for making appointment on compassionate grounds in Central Civil Posts. All instructions on compassionate appointment have been consolidated vide the Department of Personnel & Training OM No. 14014/2/2012- Estt.(D) dated 16.01.2013 and further elaborated vide O.M. No. 43019/9/2019-Estt.D dated 23.08.2021. As per these instructions, up to a maximum of 5% of direct recruitment vacancies arising in a year in Group ‘C’ posts can be filled up by compassionate appointment. Power to make appointment in Group ‘C’ posts is delegated to Ministries/Departments. Hence, administrative Ministries/Departments can make appointment on compassionate grounds, subject to availability of vacancies within the ceiling prescribed in these instructions. Such appointments do not necessarily have to follow a calendar or time line. A person selected for appointment on compassionate grounds is to be adjusted in the reservation roster against the appropriate category viz a candidate belonging to SC/ST/OBC/General category would occupy the position allocated for the respective category, in the roster. The details regarding cases under consideration in the respective Ministries/Departments for making compassionate appointments, the category of Applicants, appointments made on compassionate grounds, etc. are not maintained centrally.
Premature Retirement of Central Civil Service Officers
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING) RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1403 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2022)
PREMATURE RETIREMENT OF CENTRAL CIVIL SERVICE OFFICERS
1403 SHRI BINOY VISWAM:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Central Civil Service Officers who have taken premature retirement from service since the year 2017, State Cadre-wise data thereof;
(b) the number of Central Civil Service Officers who have either been removed or dismissed from service since 2017, State Cadre-wise data thereof; and
(c) the total number of vacancies currently existing in the Central Civil Service Officers, State cadre-wise thereof?
ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a): Government employees may seek retirement from service by opting for voluntary retirement after completion of prescribed period of qualifying service under the respective applicable Rules viz. Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 2021, All India Services (Death Cum Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958 etc. Government is also vested with the absolute power to pre-maturely retire the Government servants in public interest by invoking the provisions of respective service Rules/Fundamental Rule – 56 (j). As per the data uploaded by the different Ministries/Departments/Cadre Controlling Authorities (CCAs) on the Probity Portal maintained by the Department of Personnel & Training, during the period from July 2014 to June 2022 (as on 19.07.2022), FR 56(j)/similar provisions have been invoked against a total number of 203 Group-A and 192 Group- B Officers.
(b): In the matter of proven cases of grave misconduct, any penalty including removal or dismissal from service, as specified in the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, may be imposed on the Central Government employees to whom these rules are applicable. Since the charged officers are removed or dismissed under these Rules by the respective Cadre Controlling Authorities, data of such employees is not centrally maintained. (c): As per the Annual Report of Pay Research Unit of the Department of Expenditure, the estimated total number of vacancies in Central Government Civilian Regular Employees as on 01.03.2021 is 9,79,327 against total sanctioned posts of 40,35,203.
