NEW DELHI: In a bid to weed out the non-performing officials and employees, the Ministry of Railway terminated the services of 19 senior officials from various zones in a one-go on Wednesday evening. Communicating a strong message of either ‘Perform or Go Home’, the railway board terminated the services of 19 officials on the basis of vigilance report of their inefficiency reported in duties.
The railway ministry terminated the services of 19 officers under section 56(J)/(I), Rule 48 of Central Civil Services (CCS) Pension rules, and 1972 under periodic review of government servants.
Official sources on Thursday said that among the 19 terminated officers, one has been the officer of Indian Railway Services of Mechanical Engineering, 2 officers belong to Indian Railway Personnel Service, 3 belonged to Indian Railway Health Services, 1 belonged to Indian Railway Traffic Service, 3 belonged to Indian Railway Service of Engineers and 9 belonged to Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers.
They were posted in various zones including the Central railway, North Frontier Railway, Southcentral Railway, Eastern railway, Northern Railway and other wings. Official sources said that out of 19, 9 terminated officers of railways were of additional and joint secretary levels.
Apart from termination of 19 officers on Wednesday, 77 other rank railway officials have so far been given the premature retirements under VRS category in the last 11 months in Indian Railway since Ashwini Vaishnaw took over the charge of the railway ministry under Modi government.
Meanwhile, a highly placed source in the ministry of Railway said that the government gets an absolute right under section 56(J) to force employees or official to take VRS on the ground of lack of effectiveness in duty.
Wednesday’s termination services of 19 officers come close on the heels of a recent periodic review meeting of union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, held with the general managers (GMs) of all zones, in which the minister had reportedly warned the officials to ‘perform or take rest home at homes’.
Though, railway cited the inefficiency and poor performance in duties as reasons behind the approval of premature retirement to those officials, reliable sources said that majority of them, who had taken the VRS, were under extreme stress and faced unbearable workloads with the launch of many projects.
“Real causes behind seeking the VRS are not what are cited by the railway officials. The real causes are unbearable workload which have increased many folds after the launches of various mega projects in the railway”,said a senior railway officer, preferring anonymity.
Recently, Ravindra Gupta, as sources said, had sought the VRS from the post of director general of Railway safety with effect from May 1. He was among others who had sought the VRS requesting for waive-off the clause of three months period against the VRS.
Recently, Rahul Jain-was given the VRS from the member of railway board (Traction and Rolling Stock) with effect from March 1. He was not alone, who had to take the VRS from the services in railways. A total number of 11 officials were given the VRS from their services alone in January by the railway ministry.
According to RTI information sought by the TNIE, 8 employees, including officers, have taken the VRS alone in the South Western Railway, headquartered at Mysure this year till April. As many as 3 employees and officials, working in the railway board, were among others who have taken the VRS this year.
Sources further added that the services of non-performing dozens of other officials and employees of various ranks are also seriously being contemplating to be terminated by railways following the report of internal sources in next few months.
Not only this, sources said that many officials and employees are also contemplating to seek the VRS in next few months also.