Rightsizing: RBE No.98/2000 – Indian Railways

No.E(MPP) 2000/1/11, dated 11.08.2000

Sub: Rightsizing Indian Railways.

Concern of the Government of India as reflected in the last Budget regarding “Rightsizing of the Government Departments”, has been engaging Railways attention for some times. The need and urgency of rightsizing of the Railways was discussed in the last Special Meeting of GMs held on 24.06.2000. Therefore, considering that the only strategy for financial survival of the Railways is to contain staff costs within a reasonable limit, the decision of the Board as conveyed vide D.O. letter of even number dated 19.07.2000 is reproduced below:-

(a) Percentage intake in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, S&T, Transportation and Commercial Departments shall be fixed at a maximum of 1% per annum of on-roll strength;

(b) For all other Departments including the PUs, the intake percentage would be a maximum of 0.5% per annum of on roll strength;

(c) Additional intake will be allowed for new assets/ facilities/ trains to the extent of a maximum of 75% of the norms, hitherto followed. The creation of posts for this purpose would be with matching surrender as per orders in force;

(d) Inter-departmental re-deployment of surplus manpower shall be ensured by the Divisional Railway Managers and General Managers, as the case may be;

(e) Each Board Member shall nominate the Directorate, which will do the bench marking for the concerned Department so as to ensure suitable inter-zonal adjustment of staff intake in the respective disciplines.

The word ‘intake’ used above would include inductions made into a department through all possible modes like RRB recruitments, Sports and various other quotas or any other intake made by the Railway, etc. This will, however, exclude Compassionate Ground appointments made in essential categories, where no surpluses are likely to be generated in foreseeable future. Inter-departmental transfers for re-deployment of surplus staff would also be taken as intake to the receiving departments.

You may have already advised your PHODs on the decision of the Board for immediate implementation. In case there are any unusual circumstances requiring adjustments in the percentage intake among the Railways for any particular department (within the framework of the overall intake percentage for the department on IR basis), the same may be brought to the notice of the concerned Directorate in Board’s office by the PHOD and the concerned Directorate would take such circumstances into consideration while deciding the final Railway-wise intake percentage within the overall intake percentage for the Departments.

For the purpose of this exercise the Divisions allotted to New Zones shall also be considered with the parent zones.

Chief Personnel Officers would maintain records and accountal of the annual intake of each department and would see that the percentages prescribed by Board are adhered to.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No.98/2000

Forward reference ⇒ RBE No.