Suggestion to reduce clerical staff in railways

Bhopal, Jan 17 (UNI) The Indian Railways Promotee Officers' Federation has suggested to the Sixth Pay Commission that the number of clerical and supporting staff be slashed in order to ease the burden on the railways in view of liberalisation gathering momentum and increasing competition from private companies.

''The memorandum demanded that officers' minimum salary be hiked to Rs 50,000 per month, establishment cost on clerical staff and supporting staff be reduced by 25 per cent and 100 per cent respectively,'' Federation General Secretary Jitendra Singh told journalists here this evening.

He was here for attending a day-long meeting of the roughly 8,000 officer-strong Federation's Executive.

''Utilising information technology, officers can improve their working capacity. Certain employees' posts can be done away with after their retirement. Other demands are equal pay for equal work for officers, declaration of interim relief and implementation of the Commission's recommendations with retrospective effect from January 1, 2006,'' Mr Singh said.

UNI