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Introduction of Mechatronics Trade at DLW, Varanasi

 Railway Board Orders - Introduction of Mechatronics Trade at DLW, Varanasi
Posted: 22 Aug 2013 11:29 AM PDT
Railway Board Orders - Introduction of Mechatronics Trade at Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) Varanasi.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (BHARAT SARKAR)
MINISTRY OF RMLWAYS (RAIL MANTRALAYA)
(Railway Board)

RBE No.82/2013
No.E (MPP)2013/1/45
New Delhi, dated 13/08/2013
General Manager
D.L.W.
Varanasi

Sub : Introduction of Mechatronics Trade at DLW, Varanasi.

DLW vide their letter No.CME/Plant/Mechatronics Trade dated 02/06/2011, have proposed introduction of "Mechatronics” trade in the Technician category. The matter has been considered by Board and it has been decided that a separate cadre of “Mechatronics” trade be created by transferring the existing vacancies of Direct Recruitment quota which is normally 25% of the total vacancies of Technicians in the trades of Mechanical Fitter, Electrician and Motor Mechanics trades in Maintenance Department of DLW. DLW should also ensure that under no circumstances, higher grade posts are transferred and in no case the promotional prospects of the existing staff should be jeopardized.

To begin with Direct Recruitment quota vacancies of only Technician Grade III (in the trades of Mechanical Fitter, Electrician and Motor Mechanics trades in Maintenance Department) shall be transferred to create the "Mechatronics" trade. The DR quota vacancies,  earmarked from the Technician trades stated above, shall only be filled by Direct Recruitment through RRB, as per the qualifications mentioned below :

i) Mechanic Mechatronics
ii) Mechanic Industrial Electronics
iii) Mechanic Machine Tool Maintenance
iv) Electrician
v) Instrumental Mechanic
vi) Electronic Mechanic

It has also been decided that pursuant to a new cadre of Mechatronics, DLW would subsequently be reducing the trades of Mechanical Fitter, Electrician and Motor Mechanics and to the extent of lateral transfer of DR quota vacancies to "Mechatronics” trade, there will be no Direct Recruitment in the technician trades of Mechanical Fitter, Electrician and Motor Mechanics.

Any deviation from these instructions would require prior approval of Railway Board.

Kindly acknowledge receipt.

sd/-
(Anuradha Singh)
Director( MPP)
Railway Board

Agenda items for next meeting of the JCM National Council


The next and 47th National Council JCM meeting is expected to be held by the end of October 2013 - Confederation News

Confederation Secretary General Shri M.Krishnan informed through his official blog today that the next meeting of National Council JCM is expected to be held by the end of October 2013. 

CONFEDERATION DEMANDS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA OF THE JCM NATIONAL COUNCIL

Agenda for next meeting of the JCM National Council has been finalized on 27.08.2013 in consultation with DOP&T Twelve demands raised by Confederation in the charter of demands are included. (including GDS employees demand) Next meeting of National Council JCM is expected by the end of October 2013.

The letter give by Com. Umraomal Purohit, Secretary, JCM (NC) and the 12 demands included in the agenda are given below:

M. Krishnan
Secretary General


 
 
Posted: 28 Aug 2013 11:28 AM PDT
The Secretary of National Council Shri.Umramal Purohit writes to the Secretary of Dopt, urge to meet next and 47th National Council meeting to resolve various issues of Central Government employees...

The letter is reproduced and  given below for your information...

No. NC-JCM-2013/4th N.C.Meeting
August 14, 2013
The Secretary,
Department of Personnel and Training
North Block,
New Delhi.

Sub : Convening the 47th National Council Meeting – regarding.

Dear Sir,
The last meeting of the National Council (46th) was held on 15.5.2010. It is now more than 38 months that the Council met. As per the provisions of the Constitution of the National Council it ought to have been convened once in four months. The non-convening of the meeting has regulated in inordinate delay even in addressing the demands/issues/problems of the employees giving rise to discontent, frustration, anger and agitation.

We had send a few items for the inclusion in the agenda of the National Council vide our letter No. NC-JCM-2010/47th N.C. Meeting dated 17.1.2012. The passage of time without any meeting has resulted in certain issues gaining importance and the settlement of which cannot brook and delay.

We send herewith 12 such items for inclusion in the agenda as per the discussion with JC (E), some of the Staff Side members had a few days back.

This apart, the National Anomaly Committee which was set up in the wake of acceptance of 6th CPC recommendations is yet to conclude its business. There are issues in the agenda of National Anomaly Committee, which was not subjected to discussion even once. The MACP related matters have not also been brought back to the NAC to reach its logical conclusions.

We request you to kindly convene the National Council meeting, meeting of NAC on a date mutually convenient preferably in the months of August itself.

Thanking you.
Yours faithfully,
sd/-
(Umramal Purohit)
Secretary

 
 
Posted: 28 Aug 2013 11:27 AM PDT
Agenda items for next meeting of the JCM National Council

Agenda for next meeting of the JCM National Council has been finalized on 27.08.2013 in consultation with DOP&T. Twelve demands raised by Confederation in the charter of demands are included. (including GDS employees demand). The charter of demands are given below...

Charter of Demands

1. Revised the wages of the Central Government employees including Gramin Dak Sewaks with effect from 1.1.2011 and every five years thereafter by setting up the 7th CPC.

2. Merge DA with pay for all purposes with effect from, 1.1.2011 including for Gramin Dak Sewaks.

3. Remove restriction imposed on Compassionate appointment and the discrimination on such appointments between the Railway workers and other Central Govt. employees.

4. (a) Departmentalise all Grameen Dak Sewaks and grant them all benefits of regular employees; End Bonus discrimination and enhance bonus ceiling to 3500/-; withdraw open market recruitment in Postman / MTS cadre; Revise cash handling norms; Grant full protection of TRCA; Grant Bound Promotion and Medical Reimbursement facility etc.,

(b) Regularise the daily rated, contingent, casual workers and introduce a permanent scheme for periodical regularization. Pending regularization, provide them with pro-rata salary at 6th CPC rates.

5 (a) Revive the functioning of the JCM. Convene the meeting of the Departmental Councils in all Ministries/Departments. Settle the anomalies raised in the National Anomaly Committee as also in the Departmental Anomaly Committees. Hold National Council meetings as specified in the JCM constitution. 

(b) Remove the anomalies in the MAC P Scheme. (c) Grant recognition to all Associations/Federations, which have compiled with the formalities and conditions stipulated in the CCS(RSA) Rules.

6. Fill up all vacant posts and creates posts in functional requirements.

7. Stop downsizing outsourcing, contractorization, corporatization and privatisation of Government functions.

8. (a) Stop the proposal to introduce the productivity lined wage system; (b) discard the performance related pay structure; (c) Introduce PLB in all Departments; (d) Remove the ceiling on emoluments for bonus computation.

9. Revise the OTA, Night duty allowance and clothing rates.

10. Implement all arbitration awards;

11. Grant Five promotions to all employees as is provided for in the case of Group A services.

12. (a) Withdraw the PFRDA Bill. (b) Rescind the decision to allow FDI in pension sector; (c) Scrap the new contributory pension scheme; (d) Extend the existing statutory defined pension scheme to all Central Govt. employees irrespective of their date of entry in Government service.

 

Portability of PRAN -NPS

PFRDA Orders -  Portability of PRAN – NPS Lite/Swavalamban to NPS – All Citizen Model and other sectors

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority

CIRCULAR

PFRDA/2013/13 /PDEX/08 

20th August 2013
Subject: Portability of PRAN – NPS Lite/Swavalamban to NPS – All Citizen Model and other sectors

There were several requests from NPS Lite/Swavalamban subscribers seeking porting of their PRANs from NPS Lite/Swavalamban to the All Citizen Model of NPS(UOS). PFRDA after examining the matter has approved the shifting/porting of NPS/Lite/Swavalamban accounts to NPS-All Citizen model and other Sectors through an Inter platform shift process which is detailed as below:


1. The subscriber has to submit the following documents to the new nodal office (POP/PAO/DDO etc) who in turn will process the application and forward the document to CRA.

a. Duly filled in Inter platform shift (IPTR-1) form along with the duly filled in registration form of the sector to which he wishes to migrate

b. Submit the PRAN already issued and in absence of PRAN has to provide a notorised affidavit as to the reasons for non-submission.

2. CRA upon receipt of request would initiate the process for creation of new Permanent Retirement Account (PRA) with new PRAN for the subscriber on the target platform and disable the earlier PRAN of the subscriber in the system. The earlier/old PRAN would not be allotted to anybody else in the system. Also, the earlier record would be tagged to the new account for audit trail as well as for knowing information like if the subscriber has availed Swavalamban benefit under the earlier PRAN or not etc.

3. CRA would issue necessary instructions for monetization of the accumulated corpus in the old/earlier PRAN and also necessary instructions for crediting of such accumulated corpus received upon monetization into the new PRAN account. The entire activity would be a controlled activity from CRA end.

4. There would not be any requirement of providing KYC documents once again by the subscriber, if the same have been submitted/collated at the time of subscriber registration under NPS already and the address provided in the new registration for is matching with that of existing record. If there is any change in the address from the existing NPS account address proof need to be submitted afresh. The CRA would tag the KYC documents to the new PRAN and ensure that all the required details are available.

5. CRA would print and dispatch the PRAN card directly to the subscriber/aggregator as the case may be and CRA would not be charging any extra charges for the same.

Subscribers intending to shift their PRAN from NPS Lite/Swavalamban to All Citizen Model and other sectors may approach the new/intended contribution uploading office (POP/PAO/DDO etc) for doing the needful on the matter. The format for Inter platform shift (IPTR-1) form is being attached along with the circular.

sd/-
Venkateswarlu Peri
General Manager

Food portals open up options for train travellers (Foodie Trail)

insipid train food and is forced to binge on chips and biscuits. But not anymore, thanks to food portals that deliver to her favourite chicken pizza at her seat, guaranteed hot and fresh.
"Travelling is easier now as I can now eat whatever I like instead of the watery dal and bland subzis served by the pantry and are a sorry excuse for food," Kapoor, a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University here, told IANS.
Continental, Chinese, Italian, Mughlai and even fast food, varied cuisines are on offer by portals like comesum.com, travelkhana.com and merafoodchoice.com.
These portals, who have partnered with restaurants across the country, give their customers the freedom to order food from any famous eatery along the route.
The meals can be booked online or through phone by submitting train details or the passenger name record (PNR) number.
The customer can then choose any restaurant en route the destination and the meal is delivered at a pre-decided station. Payment can be made online as well as on delivery.
"Today's customers are quality conscious and know better than just to pick up food from an average hawker, they look more at multi cuisine delicacies," Abhishek Agrawal, managing director at Comesum, told IANS.
Comesum, started 40 years ago as railway caterers and apart from delivering meals in trains also operates 25 multi-cuisine food plazas that are open 24X7 round the year at railway and Metro stations in Delhi and around the country.
"We offer different cuisines to our customers but Indian food especially thalis (meal made of selection of several dishes) are quite favourite," said Agrawal adding that the cost of a thali ranges between Rs.80 and Rs.150 depending on the food items selected.
While Comesum offers food prepared at its own outlets, travelkhana.com and merafoodchoice.com have partnered with restaurants and eateries.
Travelkhana.com, which started operations in Aug 2012, has tied up with over 200 restaurants and caterers at over 80 stations and has delivered food to about 60,000 passengers.
"Indian Railways is the lifeline of passengers but the quality of food leaves a lot to be desired... we provide fresh food across all major trains and you won't have to depend on the pantry food anymore," Travelkhana CEO Pushpinder Singh told IANS.
The Indian Railways ferries 23 million travellers and 2.65 million tonnes of goods daily on 12,000 passenger and 7,000 freight trains. The network is spread over 64,000 route km and has 7,083 stations.
At present, only 302 trains have pantry cars.
Describing Travelkhana's functioning, Pushpinder Singh said that GPS-enabled mobile applications keeps them updated about train delays and diversions. In case an order does not reach the passenger at a particular station, it is delivered at the next one.
Serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, Pushpinder Singh has his eyes set on expanding to 30 new stations soon as well collaborating with more outlets.
"We are in talks with McDonalds," he said.
Meanwhile, Nashik based merafoodchoice.com, which started in Nov 2012 offers only vegetarian meals and specialises in thalis from different states.
"We are trying to promote the Indian food culture and offer thalis of various states," said founder Piyush Kasliwal adding that the portal is offering its services at 145 stations across the country and has so far catered to over 30,000 clients.
"The vegetarian thali, is priced between Rs.100 and Rs.200 and the customers don't mind the pricing because they know that they are getting quality food," added Kasliwal, who now plans to expand to 200 stations.
With several complaints against the food served in trains, the portals have definitely come to the rescue of the people.
Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge recently told the Lok Sabha that 1,279 complaints about sub-standard food were received in 2012, of which 115 were for lack of hygienic conditions in superfast premier trains like the Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express.
So, the next time you travel on a train, remember that your favourite butter chicken or masala dosa or chicken manchurian is just a call or a click away.

UNESCO to fund restoration of toy train in Darjeeling


Kolkata: The 132-year-old Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), which has been running a shortened service since 2010 due to landslides and earthquakes that has uprooted its tracks at various places, is now being restored by UNESCO.

The 88-kilometre railway system, commonly known as the “Toy Train”, is on the brink of getting an “endangered” status and even being de-listed from the list of World Heritage Sites. The UN body is appalled that three years have passed and till now neither the Indian Railways, nor West Bengal government has taken up the job of repairing first mountain railway in India and only the second in the world to have received the heritage status.

In a letter to Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar this week, Shigeru Aoyagi, Director and UNESCO representative for India, Maldives and Sri Lanka, said that the railways needed to do much more than what it has done to protect the heritage site. “In view of the serious concerns raised by the international community regarding the condition of the DHR, it is important that your ministry demonstrate its active commitment to the protection of DHR so as to maintain its status within the World Heritage List,” the letter said.

Now, the body has taken on the responsibility to fund the repair of the track at a cost of $665,154 (Dh2.444 million), and will sign an agreement with the Indian Railways in September, where railways will be the nodal body for implementation and UNESCO will provide the technology. It has given the railways a strict time frame of 24-months to implement the same and wants the full track to be functional starting from Siliguri to Darjeeling.

Trespassing on rail tracks claims 39 lives every day

NEW DELHI: Thirty-nine people are killed everyday on rail tracks while trespassing and the casualty in in such accidents between 2009-2012 was over 50,000.
These figures, which hold relevance in the wake of the Bihar train tragedy in which 28 pilgrims were mowed down by a train, show Indian Railways in a poor light when compared with modern railways in Japan and western countries
While Japan has reported no death on rail tracks in the last 50 years, the number of fatalities due to trespassing is far less in US and Europe as compared to in India.
According to Railway Ministry data, 50,298 people were killed from January 2009 to June 2012 which means on an average there are 14,370 trespassing deaths per year and 39 deaths every day.
While 14,376 people were killed on railway tracks and level crossings in 2009 due to trespassing, the number of deaths rose to 12,894 in 2010, according to the data.
The trespassing casualty rose further to 14,611 in 2011 and was recorded at 8,412 till June 2012.
On the other hand, in the UK there were only 36 and 16 deaths due to trespassing in 2009 and 2010 respectively while 852 such deaths had taken place in entire Europe in 2009 and 750 in 2010.
A total of 695 people were killed in train accidents in the US from 2000 to March 2012, while in Japan no such deaths have been reported in the last 50 years.
Railway Minister Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "We cannot compare ourselves with Japan. It is a much more advanced country and we cannot compare ourselves with them."
When asked whether Japanese system can be replicated here, he said, "India is a country of more than 1.2 billion population. It is next to impossible to imagine it."
Former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, however, differs with Chowdhury. "We are not serious about safety. One has to be serious about what to do. Our Metro system is running well without any accident. If you have a system then everything can be arranged. In Japan they have done it with the system and as a result there are no death on tracks."
Trivedi in his Rail Budget 2012-13 also mentioned that safety on Indian Railways has to be benchmarked against other modern railway systems in the world be it in Europe or Japan.
"Safety standards have been remarkable in these systems with no deaths due to rail accidents for decades together on high speed routes," he said.  

Recruitment to posts in Pay Band-I of 5200-20200 (Grade Pay: Rs.1800) on Indian Railways

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (BHARAT SARKAR)
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (RAIL MANTRALAYA)
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. E (NG)-II/2009/RR-I/10/Pt. 
New Delhi, dated: 19/08/2013
The General Manager (P),
All Zonal Railways,

Sub : Recruitment to posts in Pay Band-I of  5200-20200 (Grade Pay: Rs.1800) on Indian Railways - Filling up of applications online regarding.

Ref : Letter of even number dated 05/7/2013.

The issue of laying down uniform guidelines for issuance of notification for open market recruitment for the vacancies accruing during the period 01/1/2014 to 31/12/2014 has been under consideration of this Ministry. The matter has been examined and the decisions arrived at by the Board are apprised for compliance:- .

(a) The current procedure of selection from open market in vogue shall be adhered to and notification adhering to the same may be issued;

(b) While the other Railway Recruitment Cells will restrict themselves to the procedure of calling applications physically, RRC/Southern Railway only, as a pilot project, will give the option to the candidate to apply physically and online;

(c) Instruction contained in Board’s letter No. 2011-E(SCT)1/104/1 dated 25/9/20 12 (copy enclosed) be adhered to while issuing aforesaid notification; and

(d) Vacancies against Ex-servicemen quota will be filled up along with the general recruitment.

Please acknowledge receipt.
(Hindi version will follow)
Ends.: As stated. 

sd/-
(Harsha Das)
Director Estt. (N).II
Railway Board
 

Fixing uniform number of vacations / holidays for Railway school teachers.

Railway Board Orders - Fixing uniform number of vacations / holidays for Railway school teachers

RBE No.83/2013

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS 
(RAILWAY BOARD)

No. E (W)/2011/SC-2/4 
New Delhi, dated: 14/08/2013
The General Manager,
All Zonal Railways and CLW & DLW.

Sub : Fixing uniform number of vacations / holidays for Railway school teachers.

In a Court case bearing O.A.No.1239/2005 filed by Shri K.S.Patnaik and 78 other Railway school teachers before Central Administrative Tribunal, Kolkata Bench, Kolkata, regarding vacations / holidays admissible to Railway teachers, the Hon’ble Tribunal has observed


"Leave entitlements and holidays for all teachers in the Railways irrespective of the Zone/State has to be same. This total number should have no relationship with the State in which they are located. 

In the aforesaid case Hon'ble Tribunal has accordingly, issued directions that

"This total number can be fixed by the Railway Board on a reference made to it, keeping all factors in view. Once the total number of holidays is fixed it can be left for individual Zones to fix the distribution of such holidays, the overall total remaining the same".

2. The judgement of Hon’ble CAT/Kolkata in above mentioned O.A.No.1239/2005 filed by Shri K.S.Patnaik and Others has been further upheld by Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta in Writ Petition (CiviI) No.304/2011 filed by the Railways.

3. Pursuant to aforesaid directions of Hon’ble CAT/Kolkata as upheld by Honble Calcutta High Court, the matter has been examined in Railway Board in consultation with Legal Adviser/Railway Board, keeping various perspectives in view including the existing number of vacations/holidays admissible to Railway school teachers over various Zonal Railways, number of vacations/holidays admissible to school teachers in Kendriya Vidyalayas, number of holidays available to Railway employees in general and guidelines issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi, etc.

2. Accordingly, it has been decided to fix uniform number of vacations/holidays for Railway school teachers (including Lecturers/Junior Lecturers in Railway Inter-Colleges wherever existing) over all Indian Railways in the manner as stated below :-

i) Railway schools shall function for 8 hours and 10 minutes duration in a day (total 370 minutes) which shall include assembly/prayer time of 20 minutes at the start in the morning, a recess break of 30 minutes and a total of 8 periods of 40 minutes duration each, distributed evenly before and after the recess.

ii) Number of vacations / holidays admissible to Railway school teachers during the academic session shall be as below:

a) Summer - 50 days (starting from a date between vacations 11th & 15th May)

b) Autumn break / Dussehra holidays - 10 days (as per festival calendar).

c) Winter break - 13 days (starting from 23rd 24th December)

The above is the normal schedule of vacations and Zonal Railways are at liberty to distribute these vacations as per local festival/customary requirements or climatic conditions but keeping the total to 73 vacations in a year. Oak Grove School, Jharipani, Mussoorie (Northern Railway) may observe longer winter vacations within the number of vacations prescribed.

iii) 14 compulsory holidays including 3 national holidays to be observed as per calendar circulated by Railway Board every year.

iv) 5 additional holidays from the list of optional holidays / restricted holidays as circulated by Railway Board every year, at the discretion of Zonal Railways.

v) Every Sunday shall be weekly off and every 2nd Saturday of the month shall also be a non-working day in Railway schools.

vi) No separate holiday shall be admissible for Annual Day and Sports Day in Railway schools and these days may be observed by suitable adjustments or compensation.

4. Leave entitlements of vacation staff including teachers are regulated in terms of Liberalized Leave Rules, as amended from time to time.

5. The aforesaid schedule of working/ vacations/ holidays may be implemented in all Railway schools from the academic session 2013-14 and compliance reported to Railway Board.

Please acknowledge receipt.

sd/-
(Debasis Mazumdar)
Director Estt.(Welfare)
Railway Board

Railways to introduce fuel-efficient multi-genset locomotives


New Delhi, Aug 21:  
As diesel prices soar, Indian Railways is looking to adopt more fuel-efficient diesel locomotives that could lower fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent.
Indian Railways, the single largest diesel consumer in the country, has had to pay market linked prices for diesel, without any subsidies, since January.
According to an official release, the Indian Railways has undertaken the development of prototype multi-genset locomotives in the medium horse power range with three gensets of 800 Horsed Power (HP) each amounting to a gross horse power of 2400.
The trial of first multi-genset locomotive is already undergoing as a pilot project at Itarsi of Bhopal Division in West Central Railway.
These locos promise to reduce the fuel consumption by about 20 per cent for delivering the same power, the release added.
At present, there are over 500 multi-genset locomotives in the US in the medium HP range and Bombardier has an order or manufacturing 200 multi-genset locomotives for the German state Railways, according to the release.  

scrapping of the new pension scheme (NPS

506073_MDO3New Delhi, Aug 12:  
The All India Railwaymen Federation, Indian Railways’ largest employee union, has called for a protest rally across the country, on the day after Government introduces the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill.
It has urged its over 10 lakh members to go to the Prime Minister's Office website and lodge their protest.
On September 13, the union will also take a call on whether it will go on an indefinite strike on the issue.
The Railway Union has called for scrapping of the new pension scheme (NPS) for long.
“..NPS has taken away the rights of Central and State Government employees to have pension and family pension. AIRF is determined to scrap the new pension scheme and compel the Government to cover all Central and State Government employees under pension and family pension scheme,” AIRF has stated.
The Standing Committee meeting of AIRF calls upon all Central and State Government employees in general and Railwaymen in particular to register strong protest against the evil design of Government to introduce PFRDA Bill on the floor of Parliament,” AIRF has stated.