The Indian Railways’ organisational hierarchy is set to go under the microscope to identify non-performers as part of larger restructuring plans
After a series of forced retirements in the Income Tax and Customs Departments, the Central Government now has set its sights on the Indian Railways organisation.
The Railway Board, on June 11, 2019, wrote a letter to zonal railways to conduct a periodic review of officials in their jurisdictions.
Norms
The review has to be done as per laid out norms -that is by forming review committees for each department. The review committees have to do this exercise first on Gazetted officers and then the supervisors within a specified time frame.
It also laid down the specific factors to be considered while recommending the case for pre-mature retirement of officials.
The measure of competence and effectiveness of the official has to be based on the report obtained from the concerned branch officer/ concerned DRM and the concerned Head of Department in the headquarters.
Factors to be considered for recommending premature retirement of officials:
- Not obeying instructions
- Performance in the past five years
- Adverse entries in service records
- Integrity
- Suspicious financial and property transactions
- Instances of obstruction to public service
- Conduct unbecoming of a railway servant
The timelines for acting against such identified officials has not yet been clarified.