RBE No. 256/1986: Appointment on Compassionate Grounds – Casual labour

No.E(NG)II/84/CL/28, dated 31.12.1986

Sub: Appointment on compassionate grounds – Cases of wards of casual labour with temporary status who die in harness.

1. Attention is invited to this Ministry’s letter No.E(NG)II/84/CL/28, dated 04.05.1984, in which the Railway Administrations were advised that General Managers could exercise powers personally to decide requests for appointment on compassionate grounds (as causal labour or substitute), or ward of a casual labourer who dies due to accident while on duty, provided the casual labour concerned is eligible for compensation under the Work¬men’s Compensation Act, 1923.
2. In the PNM meeting with NFIR, the Federation suggested that the benefits of compassionate appointment should be extended to families of causal labour who are on regular scales of pay and who die in harness, in the same manner as for wards of other Railway employees who die during service.
3. During the PNM meeting with NFIR held on 21/22.07.1986, it was explained to the Federation that the provisions relating to compassionate appointment in the case of regular employees cannot be extended to causal labour with temporary status. It was added however, that individual cases of extreme hardship can be considered on merits.
4. The matter has been examined further in the light of deliberations in the said PNM meeting.
5. Ministry of Railways have now decided that if a casual labourer with temporary status dies in harness, i.e. during his employment with Railways and if the case presents features constituting extreme hardship, meriting special consideration, the General Manager could exercise his personal discretionary power for giving appointment to eligible and suitable ward of such casual labour on compassionate grounds. Such appointment will be only in the form of engagement as causal labour (fresh face) or as substitute. The Ministry expect this power to be exercised judiciously keeping in view in particular the need to contain the total causal labour force as enjoined in the extant instructions on the subject.
6. The power to make such appointment should not be further delegated to a lower authority.
7. Cases of death due to accident while on duty will continue to be governed by instructions contained in this Ministry’ s letter of even number dated 04.05.1984.
8. These instructions will be in force for a period of two years i.e. upto 31st December, 1988. The position will be reviewed at the end of 1988.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No. 256/1986

Forward reference⇒RBE No. 147/1993, RBE No.99/1989,