The Hindu Business Line : Rly Board adds two new posts

AT a time when the Railways is trying to reduce staff strength by 2 per cent every year, the Railway Board, the top decision-making body of the network, is in expansion mode.

The Board will soon see the induction of a Member (Signalling and Telecom) and Member (Stores) in a bid to give better career prospects to cadres of the Indian Railways Service of Signalling Engineers and Indian Railways Service of Stores, respectively.

"Out of the eight major all-India Railway services, signalling and stores officers had lesser chance of making it to the level of Member (which is equivalent to a Secretary to the Government of India). While signalling stream officers could still rise to the Board as Member (Electrical), the stores officials had little scope of reaching the top level. The creation of these two posts is in line with the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission," a senior Railway Board official told Business Line.

The two posts have already been approved and posting orders are likely to be issued within this month, the official said.

According to Railway sources, the Member (Electrical), Mr S.C. Gupta, who comes from the signalling stream and still has more than one year to go for retirement, is likely to be appointed Member (Signalling and Telecom). For the other post, the General Manager of Gorakhpur-based North Eastern Railway, Mr Om Prakash, is the most likely candidate as he is the highest-ranking officer from the stores stream.

After the expansion, the Railway Board will become a nine-member body, comprising a Chairman and eight members. At present, there are six posts of Members — Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, Staff, Traffic and the Financial Commissioner.

Incidentally, the Rakesh Mohan Committee on Railways had suggested reorganising the Railway Board on the basis of operations instead of cadres. The Committee's suggestion was seen as an effort to discourage departmentalism and inter-service rivalry, which has become the bane of the Railways.

More Stories on : Railways | Human Resources

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
CCEA may take up today Bangalore airport pact

DCI public offer plan hastens policy change

Govt revises dredging policy — Works to be awarded only through bidding

East Coast Rly hopes for 63 mt of freight traffic

Expectations fuel interest in Concor

Euro Tech gets Govt nod for deck cadet course

Despite increase in fuel prices — Minister rules out hike in rail fares

Rly Board adds two new posts