In an unprecedented step, the Indian Railways on Wednesday removed from service 20 top class one officials, including eight joint secretary level officers, and top electrical and mechanical engineers.
With this, around 100 top level officers have either been dismissed or forced to opt for Voluntary Retirement Services (VRS) in the last 10 months. They include three secretary rank level officers.
While a general manager rank officer was ‘advised’ to opt for VRS to make an honourable exit from the services on Tuesday, the largest employer of the country dismissed 20 officers who had adverse vigilance reports against them.
The railways invoked rule 56(J) of the Department of Personnel and Training service rules which says a Government employee can be forced to retire or be dismissed after being served a minimum of three month’s notice or a similar period’s pay.
The move is part of the Union Government’s efforts to weed out non-performers. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, after he took over the office in July 2021, has repeatedly warned officials “to take VRS and sit at home” if they do not perform.
Railway Ministry sources said the 20 people against whom the 56(J) were invoked include four officials each from the electrical and signalling services, three each from medical and civil, two from personnel and one each from stores, traffic and mechanical.
Under the VRS scheme, an employee is paid a salary equivalent to two months’ pay for every year of service left.
But the similar benefit is not available in compulsory retirement.
Under the provisions relating to pre-mature retirement in the Fundamental Rules (FR) and the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, the appropriate authority has the absolute right to retire a Government servant under FR 56(j), FR 56(l) or Rule 48 (1)(b) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972 as the case may be, if it is necessary to do so in public interest.
However, the 75 officials who put in their papers and decided to opt for VRS are those who have been denied promotion or sent on leave or circumstances have been created to force them to opt for retirement.
In July last year, nine officials including member (Rolling Stock and Traction) Rahul Jain put in their papers, followed by six in August, four in September, seven in October, nine in November, six in December. In 2022 , 11 officials in January opted for VRS, seven in February, eight in March, five in April and three this month.
Another Member of the Railway Board Ravindra Gupta also opted for VRS last month while general manager of Rail Wheel Factory A K Dubey was “advised” to proceed on VRS at earliest failing which the railways could invoke the DoPT dismissal rule. “There were strong vigilance recommendations against Dubey,” confirmed a railway official.
