7th Pay Commission Breakdown Allowance

Breakdown Allowance : Report of the Committee Allowances

 Breakdown Allowance (Para 8.10.8, 8.10.80)

Breakdown Allowance (Para 8.10.8, 8.10.80) Existing Provisions: This allowance is granted to non–gazetted Railway servants who are earmarked for attending to breakdown duties. The existing rates are as under:Reasons mentioned by 7th CPC for recommending abolition: Responding to emergencies is part of the duties of any government servant. Hence, granting a separate allowance for this purpose does not appear justified.

Demands:

I. M/o Railways: Breakdown Allowance needs to be continued as it is given only to earmarked employees who are called out for emergency breakdown work even beyond office hours, foregoing their leisure time.

 

II. National Council (Staff Side), JCM: Railway personnel have to attend to accidents at any time and have to perform duties outside their headquarters for days. Therefore, this allowance should continue.

Analysis and Recommendations of the Committee:

In the deliberations, Ministry of Railways strongly emphasized the need to continue this allowance on functional grounds. It was stated that officials of Ministry of Railways willingly volunteer for breakdown duties and breakdown staff can be called upon to attend to breakdown duties at any time of the day or night, at a few minutes‟ notice as per a scheduled protocol which is in addition to their normal allotted duty.

Noting that this work is in addition to their normal allotted duty and also that availability of motivated and dedicated staff to attend to breakdowns and for accident relief and speedy restoration work is a necessary functional requirement of the Railways, the Committee recommends that Breakdown Allowance be retained. As the allowance is not DA indexed, it may be enhanced by a factor of 2.25. This will benefit about 11000 employees and help keep up their motivational levels. The additional annual financial implication is estimated to be approximately ₹ 15 crore.

Original Copy