25 years in Indian Railways

Today I am completing 25 years service in Indian Railways.  Except for the first three months rest of the service is in Railway Hospital, Perambur.  I am happy that I am working in this hospital. Unlike most of government offices, our hospital has always been professional, least bureaucratic.

When I joined railways – in 1986, the employment opportunities were very minimal. Government and bank service were the main opportunity. The government service is no longer attractive to youth . There are many reason for this. Likewise government service is degrading both in quality and quantity.

Based on my experience I am planning few posts about Indian railways, the good and bad of governance, the need for reform in the administrative system, the negative side of RTI and  jan-lokpal.

 

Myths/Misconception about Indian Railway Employees

There are several myths and misconceptions about us – the Indian Railway Employees.

Let me try to clear some of them

They can travel anywhere in India Free anytime they wish.

Well, this is not true in toto. We are entitled to some privileges for free travel – not absolute.

Here what we are eligible.
Free pass for from any station to any station over Indian Railways.
No.of Passes: For the first 5 years of service : 1
After 5 years : 3

We can take our family. Family members entitled are
Spouse i.e wife/husband
Son upto age 21
Daughter unmarried
If father is not alive then mother,dependent brothers & sisters(<21yrs), widowed sisters.

Privilege Ticket Order (PTO). This entitles us to travel at 1/3rd fair. 4 sets of PTO can be availed in a year.

Residential Card Pass: For travelling from home to workspot.

Scholar Pass: For Sons/Daughters to go to school/college.

Bonus – 75 days salary.

Normally yearly bonus will be paid during navarathri pooja days. It will be in days.

For the year 2009 it is 75 days. Oh that means 2.5 months salary isn’t?????. A BIG NO.

Maximum eligible salary per month is limited to Rs.3500/. In simple terms it means – whatever may be your salary only Rs.3500 will be considered for bonus. Thus yearly earnings is Rs.42,000. So maximum bonus is only Rs.8630/. This works out to less than 10 days pay for most of us. Unfortunately no media covers these finer aspects. But prices shoot up in the market whenever there is an announcement about bonus.