GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 2286

ANSWERED ON   22.08.2013

APPOINTMENTS IN RAILWAYS

2286 . Dr. RAMSHANKAR, RADHA MOHAN SINGH, D.B. CHANDRE GOWDA
P. JAYA PRADA NAHATA, NEERAJ SHEKHAR, YASHVIR SINGH
ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL, ASWAMEDH DEVI, SAUGATA RAY, S. R. JEYADURAL
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:-

(a) the details of eligibility criteria and the procedure being followed for appointment and posting of General Managers, Members and Chairman in the Railway Board;

(b) the number of cases in which the prescribed norms including the seniority factor were not followed strictly for the purpose during the last three years and the current year including the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of such vacant posts in Railway Board including the Zonal/Divisional Managers in the Railways as on date along with the reasons therefor and the time by which these are likely to be filled up;

(d) the present status of the investigation in the recent case of alleged irregularities in appointment to the post of Member in Railway Board; and

(e) the details of steps taken/being taken by the Railways to strictly follow the prescribed norms and ensure transparency in appointment and posting against various positions in Railway Board?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY)

(a): The posts of General Managers are filled up as per norms laid down for the same vide Resolution issued in 1986, as amended from time to time. The basic norms laid down are that officers belonging to the eight organized Group ‘A’ Railway Services are eligible for being considered for appointments to these posts and inter se seniority list of Senior Administrative Grade officers belonging to these services are drawn up for this purpose. Officers with 25 years of Group ‘A’ service and working in Senior Administrative Grade and above are considered. Only such officers are considered for empanelment and appointment who have a minimum residual service of two years.

The panels are made based on the recommendations of a high level Selection Committee comprising of Chairman, Railway Board, as Chairman and two other members one being Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training and the other being a Member of Railway Board nominated by Cabinet Secretary. The panels and specific appointments are made with the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

The posts of Members of Railway Board are filled up on the basis of Resolution issued in 1987, as amended from time to time. Officers to be considered for the posts of Members, should normally have a balance service of two years or more from the date of occurrence of the vacancy and should normally have worked for a period of one year as General Manager (Open Line). In case, relaxation of norms is involved, the senior most General Manager (Open Line) with reasonable long tenure, subject to a minimum of one year on the date of occurrence of the vacancy may be considered. For the post of Financial Commissioner (Railways), a General Manager belonging to IRAS cadre, and fulfilling the other requirements as above, is eligible for consideration. As for the post of Chairman, Railway Board, the officer should normally have a minimum tenure of two years as Member and/or Chairman, including at least one year as Chairman, Railway Board. The appointments to the posts of Chairman and Members of Railway Board are approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

(b): Appointments have been made in accordance with the norms, after following due process and with the approval of the competent authority.

(c): As on date, there are twenty six posts of General Managers/equivalent on the Indian Railways. Out of these, seven posts are vacant. However, looking after arrangements have been made to ensure that the work of these posts does not suffer. Filling up of the vacant posts is a continuous process which involves processing and approvals at various levels of the Government.

As for the posts of Members/Chairman Railway Board, at present there are six posts of Members and one post of Chairman, Railway Board. Since regular incumbents have not been appointed to the posts of Chairman, Member Staff and Financial Commissioner (Railways), additional charge arrangements have been made to look after these posts. At present, Member Mechanical is looking after the work of Chairman with the approval of Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Member Engineering is looking after the work of Member Staff with the approval of Minister of Railways and Additional Member (Budget) is looking after the work of Financial Commissioner with the approval of Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

All the posts of Divisional Railway Managers are filled up and no post is lying vacant.

(d): After completion of investigation by CBI, charge sheet has been filed against Shri Mahesh Kumar, Member Staff, Railway Board and nine other private persons on 02.07.2013 under Section 120-B IPC read with Section 7, 8 & 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

(e): The panels are formed strictly on the basis of rules and are approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Specific appointments are also made with the approval of Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

Source: www.loksabha.nic.in

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