The Indian Railways Technical Supervisors Association, representing the technical employees of the Railways, has put forth its demands for the 8th Pay Commission (8th CPC). It is demanding a fitment factor of 5 for different levels of employees, an annual salary increase of 5 per cent, and a promotional salary growth which should be equal to two annual increments. In its memorandum, IRTSA has sought up to five fitment factors for different levels of employees. Let us also tell you what kind of demand has been made by the railway employees' organization.
Why does the organization want different fitment factors?
In its memorandum, IRTSA has sought up to 5 fitment factors for different levels of employees.
IRTSA in its memorandum said that a five-grade salary structure should be available for the category of Technical Supervisors in Railways like CPSE (ONGC). IRTSA in its memorandum said that the salaries of technocrats, especially those working in the Railways, should be fixed separately from non-technocrat employees, so that they can get appropriate compensation for the hazards/requirements of work, extra working hours and special conditions of service. According to IRTSA, there are many reasons due to which technical employees of Railways need higher fitment factor. These include qualifications, training, experience, professional knowledge, abilities required for the job, duties, responsibilities and accountabilities, as well as the hazards and challenges they face while working.
Proposed Cadre Structure for Technical Supervisors with Starting Pay
Dearness Allowance for Technical Railway Employees
The Railway Employees Organization says a separate Consumer Price Index (CPI) should be prepared for central government employees, and expenditure items like internet expenses, bottled drinking water expenses, health insurance premiums etc. should be included in the expense basket to calculate the average reading of DA.
IRTSA says that the principle laid down by the 5th CPC to merge 50 percent of DA with salary as DP should be followed. DA should be paid after deducting income tax, because it is paid to compensate for inflation.
house rent allowance
IRTSA in its memorandum has also advocated changing the existing three-tier classification of DA to four-tier. It has proposed these four HRA categories for technical railway employees:
HRA for A category cities (population 50 lakh and above) – 40% + DA
HRA for B category cities (population 20 lakh to 50 lakh) – 30% + DA
HRA for C category cities (population 5 lakh to 20 lakh) – 20% + DA
HRA for D category cities (population less than 5 lakh) – 10% + DA
Night Duty Allowance (NDA)
IRTSA says that the recommendation of 7th CPC that the fixed hourly rate of night duty allowance should continue to be equal to (Basic Pay + DA)/200 should be implemented on all railway employees. The employees' organization says that the ceiling limit of Rs 43,600 should be removed for calculation of night duty allowance for railway employees.
Child Education Allowance
IRTSA has proposed that Child Education Allowance should be given for children's education till post-graduation. The employee organization says that the rates of Child Education Allowance should be increased to Rs 10,000 per month or equal to the actual expenditure.
career progress
IRTSA has suggested 5 financial upgradations (promotions) under the 'Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme' (MACPS) in the service period of 30 years. It has proposed that financial upgradation should be given under MACPS on completion of 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 years of service of an employee.
leave encashment
IRTSA says that employees should be allowed to encash at least 50 percent of the leaves credited to their accounts. Railway Employees Organization says that the limit of encashment of leave at the time of retirement should be increased from the present 300 days to 600 days.
daily allowance
IRTSA has proposed that the reimbursement of accommodation, traveling expenses and lump sum amount for employees traveling outside their headquarters for work should be increased to 3 times the rates recommended by the 7th CPC, and the same should be extended to Railway employees also.
retirement benefits
While on one hand IRTSA has proposed that 'Old Pension Scheme' (OPS) benefits should be extended to employees who joined service after January 1, 2004, on the other hand it has also recommended that retirement gratuity should be calculated at the rate of 1/3 of 'Basic Pay + DA' drawn on the date of retirement for each completed six months of service. IRTSA says that the retirement gratuity payable for service of 33 years or more should be 32 times 'Basic Pay + DA', subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh. It also says that the maximum allowable amount of death gratuity should be Rs 50 lakh.
Group Insurance including CGEGIS
Pointing out that the rates of subscription and insurance cover for the Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme (CGEGIS) were last changed in January 1990, IRTSA says the government should reduce the subscription amount for the insurance limits of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 15 lakh.
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