Dual policy of Railway administration

SCOVA 20^th Agenda item 21(2) Provision of office accommodation to Pensioners Associations by Railway administration

1. With reference to SCOVA 20^th Agenda Item 21(2) Provision of office accommodation to Pensioners Associations M/O Railways (Railway Board) Replied:

“Provision exist in para-1963 of Indian Railways Engg. Code for allotment of spare buildings to house Staff Welfare Organizations at a nominal fee. Zonal Railways can be approached accordingly in the matter”.

Para-1963 of I.R.Engg. Code  provides “ allotment with prior approval of the Rly.Board”.

2. With reference to Bharat Pensioners Samaj Memorandum dated 04.03.2011 Item 5(iii) M/O Railways (Railway Board) Vide Their No E(W) 2011/PA-1/2 dated 02.01.2012 S.No.5(iii) replied:

“ There is no policy regarding allotment of office accommodation to Pensioners’ Associations. However, an item regarding grant in aid to pensioners’ associations was raised in the 20^th SCOVA meeting and the same is under examination by DOP &PW.

3. With reference to  RTI Act query sought by Shri A.Venkatappaiah, In Case No.RTI Cell /2010/010013050  M/O Railways (Railway Board)  stated:

“Railway quarters and buildings not required housing railway staff or other railway purposes may at the discretion of the General Manager be let, in consultation with the Financial Adviser, to outsiders, on the highest rent that can be secured. This power may, subject to such restrictions as the General Manager may impose, be delegated to officers not below the rank of Divisional Manager “

4.In case of another  RTI enquiry regarding allotment office accommodation to a particular Pensioners’ Association .

Railway administration vide DRM (P) Guntur vide his No SCR/PGNT/740/3/Vol.VII/RTI Act dated 30,06 20011 concluded  ,

 “No prior approval of financial advisor or Rly Board is required since Rly pensioners Associations being welfare organization do not come under the ambit of outsiders as mentioned in Rly Bd reply in RTI Case No.RTI Cell /2010/010013050  and that allotment to Rly. Pensioners association can be done in accordance with Rly Board Letter No 79/W2/18/130/0 of 12^th August 1980  on a nominal rent as amended from time to time” and rented out a RB Type II accommodation @ Rs 1000/- per year, to a particular association at Guntur, that too, cancelling earlier allotment done to another association w/o valid reason.

Whereas Rs 6440/- licence fee is being charged from NF Rly Pensioners’ association  for a strip of 675 sft unbuilt area in Rly colony DTS Hill/Lumding, Assam which is much higher than the market rate.

Thus with reference to allotment of accommodation to Welfare organizations such as

‘Pensioners Association’ no norms are being followed and as is clear from the examples

Sited in fore going Para &  in Agenda item 21(2) of the 20th SCOVA. Several allotments have been given on the whims & fancies of S,C. Rly officers concerned, to favour a particular  federation who is using it as a bait to woo Rly Pensioners Associations to its side & is falsely propagating to be the only recognized Rly Pensioners Federation by the Rly board.

This amounts to corrupt practice.

As such,  in the interest of transparency and fairness. Rly Board, is requested to order

cancellation of all allotments over S.C.Rly, done in violation of Para 1963 of the Engineering Code, and to lay down definite parameters & norms for future allotment to Pensioners Associations