RBE No. 150/2007: Staff Benefit Fund – SBF Calamity Relief Fund
No.E(W)2007/FU-1/1, dated 19.11.2007
Sub: Staff Benefit Fund – Modalities regarding utilization of Rs.3 per capita towards immediate relief in times of crises arising out of Natural Calamities.
1. Instructions were issued vide Board’s letter of even number dated 18.04.2007 (RBE No. 63/2007) regarding enhancement in annual contribution to Staff Benefit Fund from Rs.30 to Rs.35 per capita. It was also advised that the increase of Rs.5 per capita p.a. would be utilized as (a) Rs.3 per capita to give immediate relief in times of crisis arising out of natural calamities, and (b) Rs.2 per capita for providing vocational training for developing occupational skills of physically/ mentally challenged wards especially girls of railway employees; and that modalities in regard to utilization of Rs.3 per capita would be intimated in due course.
2. The Ministry of Railways have further considered the matter regarding utilization of Rs.3 per capita meant for immediate relief in times of crisis arising out of natural calamities and have decided to constitute the “SBF Calamity Relief Fund” for this purpose. The guidelines regarding management of and procedure for grant of relief from the Fund have been laid down in the enclosed Annexure.
3. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Ministry of Railways.
Annexure to Board’s letter dated No.E(W)2007/FU-1/1, dated 19.11.2007 (RBE No. 150/2007)
The fund shall be called as “SBF Calamity Relief Fund” and shall be constituted at Board’s level for providing immediate relief to railway servants in times of crisis arising out of natural calamities. The fund shall be operated under SBF and will receive allocation at the rate of Rs.3 per capita p.a. with the objective of affording immediate relief to railway servants in times of crisis arising out of natural calamities.
Operation of the fund:-
1. The day-to-day management of the Fund shall be administered by a Committee comprising of Adv.(IR), EDF(E) and EDCE(G) assisted by JDE(W) as Secretary. The Committee shall be empowered to sanction relief up to Rs.10 lakh to a Zonal Railway.
Relief in excess of Rs.10 lakh and upto Rs.20 lakh will be sanctioned by the Board (MS) upon recommendations by the Committee.
1.1 In case of amount of relief being more than Rs.20 lakh, the case shall be put up to MR for sanction.
2. At Zonal Railway level, the General Manager shall take decision with regard to utilization of the relief sanctioned by the Board, depending upon the circumstances.
3. The Proposal from Zonal Railways for grant of relief shall be sent to the Board with GM’s approval.
4. Relief from this fund shall not bar assistance from the Railway Minister’s Welfare and Relief Fund.
5. Only serving Railway employees and their dependents shall be considered for relief from the Fund. The Railway Administration shall ensure immediate relief to the affected railway servants or his/her dependents.
6. The Railway Administration shall ensure submission of utilization report/ details to Board within one month.
7. The accountal of expenditure and disbursement based on recommendations of the Committee will be maintained by PAO/Railway Board.
8. The term ‘natural calamity’ for granting relief under these provisions shall be defined as any disaster/ calamity caused due to natural phenomena like flood, earthquake, tsunami, drought, cyclone etc. involving severe damage to life and/or property and the same is declared by concerned State Government of the affected area ‘as natural calamity’ or the Ministry of Railways, based on the recommendations of the concerned General Manager, consider it serious enough to treat it as ‘natural calamity’. The power to decide whether the same should be treated as ‘natural calamity’ or not (in case the State Government has not considered it as natural calamity) will lie with the authority competent to grant proposed relief as defined under Para-1.
Download Railway Board Circular RBE No. 150/2007
Forward reference ⇒ RBE No. 38/2008