Appointment of retired Railway employees as facilitators for issuing of unreserved tickets through Automatic Ticket Vending Machines – removal of upper age limit restriction – requested.
NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, Chemlmsford Road, New Delhi – 110 055
Affiliated to:
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)
No. II/91/Part 2
Dated: 28/12/2016
The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Sub: Appointment of retired Railway employees as facilitators for issuing of unreserved tickets through ATVMs – removal of upper age limit restriction – requested.
Ref: Railway Board’s letter No. 2011/TG-I/10/ATVMs/Facilitators dated 23/11/2011
Federation invites kind attention of the Railway Board to letter dated 23/11/2011 wherein instructions were issued to engage retired Railway employees to work as facilitators on Central & Western Railways for issuing unreserved tickets through ATVMs.
Under the scheme, the retired Railway employees upto the age of 62 years were allowed to work as facilitators. This scheme was given validity for a temporary period of six months, but however if considered necessary, it could be extended with the concurrence of FA & CAO and personal approval of General Manager by another six months i.e. upto a maximum of one year period. In terms of further instructions of Railway Board vide Board’s letter dated 18/05/2012 (C.C. No. 33 of 2012) while the scheme was extended upto 31/03/2013, the scheme mandated that only retired Railway employees of any department could be employed as facilitator upto the maximum age limit of 65 years. The scheme has further been extended by the Railway Board vide Commercial Circular No. 27 of 2013, but however, with the proviso that only retired Railway employees upto the age of 65 years should be appointed as facilitators.
In this connection, the Federation conveys that similar JTBS, SDBA and YTSK Schemes have also been in vogue for issuing reserved/unreserved tickets and under these schemes, the minimum age limit is 18 years, while there is no upper age limit for availing services.
Similarly, retired Railway employees have been allowed to act as Enquiry Officers under D & A Rules upto the age of 70 years with further provision that this age limit is extendable further on case to case basis till completion of D&AR Enquiry. The retired Railway employees/Officers are paid Fixed Honorarium for providing services as Enquiry Officer.
The retired Railway employees, engaged as facilitators and work upto 65 years of age are not able to justify their contribution and expertise due to lack of continuity whereas the retired Railway employees engaged in other schemes continue without any age restriction and are able to provide satisfactory service. To ensure success of ATVM Scheme and to make the facility available for 24×7 to the commuters/passengers the experienced retired Railway employees who possess knowledge of commercial working and the local conditions, the upper age restriction is required to be removed, thereby their experience and talent can be availed for efficient working on ATVMs.
NFIR, therefore, requests the Railway Board to kindly consider the above valid points and issue instructions, withdrawing the upper age limit of 65 years in respect of the retired Railway employees deployed on ATVMs. A copy of the instructions issued may be endorsed to the Federation.
Yours faithfully,
sd/-
(Dr M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary
Source: NFIR