Railways announces upgradation of pay grade for field officers

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced pay grade upgradation for 80,000 field officers of the railways.

Around 80,000 railway employees who are facing stagnation in their jobs now have an opportunity to improve their pay scale as the government announced a new provision under which its supervisory cadre will have a chance to reach higher pay grades equivalent to Group A officers.

The decision will immediately benefit around 40,000 such supervisor grade employees like station masters, ticket checkers, traffic inspectors, supervisors of civil, mechanical, electrical, S&T traffic chemical and S&T, metallurgical, stores, and commercial departments. The push in pay grade means that everyone will get an average of Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 per month extra salary.

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"There has been a long pending demand for upgradation of supervisory cadre since the last 16 years. The only scope of promotion was selection in 3,712 vacancies by giving exam in Group 'B'. Now provision has been made for 50 per cent people from Level 7 to go to Level 8, " the Minister said at a press conference here.

Though there will be an increase in the wage bill of the railways, the minister said the step will be financially neutral as it will be compensated primarily from the savings that the railways has made in its diesel bill.

"As a result of vigorous persuasions of the All India Railwaymen's Federation (AIRF) with the Ministry of Railways, the proposal of the Railway Board regarding upgradation of pay scales of supervisors from erstwhile GP (grade pay) Rs 4,600 up to Rs 5,400, has been approved by the finance ministry...," Shiva Gopal Mishra, general secretary, AIRF said.