National Holiday Allowance – revision of rate – urged.

National Holiday Allowance – revision of rate – urged.

NFIR
National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
3, CHELMSFORD ROAD, NEW DELHI – 110 055
Affiliated to :
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

No.1/5(g)/Pt. V

Dated: 13/04/2015

The Chairman,
Seventh Central Pay Commission,
Chatrapati Shivaji Bhawan,
1st Floor, B-14/A, Qutab Institutional Area,
New Delhi 110016

Dear Sir,

Sub: – National Holiday Allowance – revision of rate – urged.

Pursuant to the recommendation of the Jagannadha Das Pay Commission contained in para 45 of Chapter XXXV, the Railway Board with the sanction of the President, had decided to compensate the Railway employees by additional payment, when they are called upon to perform duties on National Holidays every year. Instructions to this effect were issued by the Railway Board vide letter No.PC-60/HL-2/1 dated 10th August 1961, fixing following criteria for payment of additional pay:-

“Basic Pay as defined in Rule 2003 (21) (a) (i&ii) R-II and full Dearness Allowance (inclusive of Dearness Pay), Where the pay plus Dearness Allowance falls in between the two slabs, the rate for the next higher slabs shall apply”.

2. The Railway Ministry had also declared some more important days as “National Holidays” later on. In this connection, NFIR wishes to reiterate that initially additional pay was granted, to compensate to those Railway employees who in the exigencies of services are not permitted to avail National Holidays, by additional payment equal to 1 ½ times of the normal rate of pay plus DA thereon. At the same time, NFIR conveys that over the period of time not only the nomenclature but also the basis of National Holiday Allowance has been changed completely by the Railway Board without going into its genesis and has implemented the decision in most negative and unrealistic manner resulting less payment of National Holiday Allowance towards the so called compensation. There is wide variation between the original provision and the amount paid at present as National Holiday Allowance as can be seen from the following illustration:-

[*at one and half times of rate of minimum Pay (5200+1800+113%DA) if correctly taken into account.]
3. Incidentally, the Federation desires to mention that the Fifth Central Pay Commission in their recommendations to the Government of India had suggested payment of National Holiday Allowance at the rate of payment of Over Time Allowance.

NFIR, therefore, requests the Chairman, Pay Commission to consider the facts mentioned above and make suitable recommendations to the Government of India for upward revision of the National Holiday Allowance.

Yours faithfully,

(Dr. M. Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source-NFIR