RBE No.80/2014: Staff Benefit Fund – Dispensaries – Revised Policy

No.E(W)/2013/ISM/1, dated 23.07.2014

Sub: Indigenous system of medicine – Homeopathic/ Ayurvedic dispensaries – Revised policy reg.

Ayurvedic and Homeopathic are being run under the aegis of Staff Benefit Fund purely as a measure of staff welfare for medical treatment under Indigenous System of Medicine. These dispensaries are managed by the Central Staff Benefit Fund Committee of the respective Zonal Railway/ PU.
Pursuant to the demand raised by the recognized federation, i.e. AIRF and NFIR regarding increase in the retirement age, revision of monthly honorarium and other issues, Board have now decided to revise the policy for engagement of Ayurvedic/ Homeopathic practitioners as under:-

(i) Each Zonal Railway and Production Unit will NOT have more than a total of Eight (08) and Two (02) Dispensaries (including Ayurvedic and Homeopathic together) respectively. The Railway Zones/ Pus should reduce the number of dispensaries up to the new prescribed ceiling limit in a phased manner over a period of one year.
(ii) The existing arrangement of 8 hourly and 4 hourly dispensaries should be replaced with 4 hourly dispensaries working any 5 days in a week. However, the existing practitioners working in 8 hours dispensaries may be allowed to continue till their current contract expires. No further extension will be given to them. Any fresh engagement, henceforth, should be done only on 4 hour basis. As such, the powers delegated to General Managers vide Board’s letter dated 09.04.2013 (RBE No. 30/2013) will stand annulled.
(iii) Ayurvedic/ Homeopathic practitioners will henceforth, be engaged as Ayurvedic/ Homeopathic consultants on the basis of their qualifications as prescribed vide Board’s letters Nos.E(W)88WE1-16, dated 10.07.1989 (RBE No. 177/1989), dated 03.10.1989 (RBE No. 250/1989) and E(W)2012/PNM/NFIR/5, dated 24.01.2014 (RBE No. 13/2014).
(iv) These Consultants (Ayurvedic and Homeopathic) should be engaged in SBF run dispensaries by the CSBF committee by associating one doctor from the concerned Zonal Railway.
(v) The contract of the Consultants engaged in 4 hour dispensaries will be valid for one year only and can be extended further to the subject to the satisfactory performance of the Consultant.
(vi) The age limit for the aforesaid Consultants and dispensers has been fixed at 65 years and the existing Consultants/ dispensers should cease to be engaged after 65 years.
(vii) The facility of Pass/ PTOs will be admissible as per entitlement mentioned in Board’s letter No.E(W)97/PS5-1/45, dated 28.10.1999 (RBE No. 278/1999) only to the 8-hourly Consultants. This facility should be withdrawn soon after a particular 8-hour dispensary gets converted into 4 hour dispensary.
(viii) The revised monthly honorarium for Consultants and Dispensaries (Homeopathic/ Ayurvedic) will be as follows:-

(ix) Monthly subsidy on medicine will be as follows:-

Ayurvedic/ Homeopathic Dispensaries – Rs.8000

This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.80/2014

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.65/2017,