Awards: RBE No.149/2016 – Direct Benefit Transfer – Implementation
No.E(G)2016/AW1/142, dated 20.12.2016
Sub: DBT Implementation in the Ministry of Railways – regarding Group Cash Awards.
1. Cabinet Secretariat, DBT Mission vide OM.No.1-11011/19/2015-DBT, dated 22.08.2016 have launched a programme regarding implementation of DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) in welfare and subsidy programmes being implemented across Ministries in the Govt. of India.
2. To make the Direct Benefit Transfer on Cash Awards implemented in Railways the Zonal Railways/ Production Units, Etc., the following may be ensured:
(i) The award amount should be transferred to the employees Bank Account linked to Aadhaar or cheque.
(ii) The maximum upper limit for any type of Cash Award to an individual would be restricted to Rs.5000 only and there should be a gap of at least three years before another Cash Award is granted to the same employee as laid down in Officer Order No.31 of 2004 (copy enclosed).
2.1 This will however not be applicable in the case of:
(i) Awards given to: Sports persons, Scouts, Innovations/ Inventions, Acts of Bravery, Averting accidents, Security and Safety measures.
(ii) Any other exceptional case to be decided by the General Manager.
Please acknowledge receipt.
Office Order No.31 of 2004 issued by Railway Board
[No.2004/O&M/12/1, dated 16.07.2004]
The guidelines for grant of individual awards to officers/ staff of Board’s office have already been issued vide Office Order No.44 of 2000 (copy enclosed). However, the issue of guidelines for grant of Group Cash Award(s) to the officers/ staff of Board’s office has been under consideration for sometime. After detailed consideration it has now been decided that henceforth the following guidelines should be followed while sanctioning Group Cash Award(s):
(a) The maximum upper limit for any type of Cash Award to an individual would be restricted to Rs.5000 only.
(b) The Group Award should be recommended/ sanctioned only in case of some exceptional/ exemplary work having been done by a group of officials. The details of such exceptional/ exemplary work should also be mentioned while sanctioning the award.
(c) While recommending the names for Group Cash Awards, the specific amount to be given to an individual should invariably be indicated. In the case of Group Awards announced on the spot by the Board Members and Ministers, a list containing the name of each awardee along with the amount of the award to be given to him/her should be submitted to the concerned authority at the time of seeking formal approval.
(d) There should be a gap of at least three years before another Cash Award is granted to the same employee. This condition of three years’ gap would henceforth be applicable for all types of Cash Awards viz. Monthly Award, Group Award, Award recommended by Board Members, CRB and Ministers. However, in the case of awards sanctioned by AMs, DGs, Secretary, Railway Board, Board Members and CRB at the time of their retirement and by ministers at the time of their demitting office, the condition of three years gap would be relaxed to one year.
(e) Henceforth, it should be ensured that each Awardee in a Group Award is clear from DAR/ Vigilance angle and that there is no adverse entry in the last two years ACRs.
(f) The details of the specific activity for which the award has been sanctioned would be indicated in the Merit Certificate to be given to the Awardees.
Office Order No.44 issued by Railway Board
[No.2000/O&M/55(Award) Policy, dated 09.11.2000]
1. Attention is invited to Office Order No.27 of 1999, regarding Monthly Cash Award to Staff by Additional Members and Cash Awards Recommended to individual staff by Chairman/ Board Members. In partial modification to the aforesaid office order, it has now been decided to amend item no (ii) and (v) which should now be read as under:
(ii) The amount of Cash awards for different categories of staff will be as under:
(a) Upto Rs.500 per employee for Group ‘D’ Staff,
(b) Upto Rs.1000 per employee for Group ‘C’ Staff,
(c) Uptp Rs.1500 per employee for Group ‘B’ Staff,
(d) Upto Rs.2000 per employee for Group ‘A’ Staff.
These limits would also be applicable to the employee recommended for Cash Awards by Board Members/ Secretary, Ministry of Railways. In specific eases, Chairman, Members of the Railway Board and present Secretary, Ministry of Railways may also sanction cash award upto Rs.5000 per individual staff for meritorious services. The empowerment of Secretary, Ministry of Railways to sanction Awards upto Rs.5000 per individual staff shall be coterminus with the tenure of the present incumbent.
(v) There should be a gap of at least three years before the next Cash Award is given to the same employee. The term ‘Next Cash Award’ includes, Monthly Award, CRB Awards, Minister Award, and Award recommended by Chairman/ Board Member/ Secretary, Ministry of Railways.
2. All Officers recommending grant of cash award, are to ensure that only genuine staff who have done exemplary/ extraordinary work are recommended and that it should not become a routine monthly exercise. It should also be ensured that an employee does not receive more than one award within the period of thirty six months.
Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.149/2016
Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.