Reduction in the amount of 7th CPC Night Duty Allowance as compared to 6th CPC and imposition of pay ceiling at Rs. 43,600/- for entitlement of NDA

Dated: 07/10/2020

No.I/5(E)

The Secretary (E),
Railway Board,
New Delhi

Dear Sir,

Sub: Reduction in the amount of NDA in 7th CPC as compared to 6th CPC and imposition of pay ceiling at Rs. 43,600/- p.m. for entitlement of NDA -reg

Ref: (i) NFIR’s PNM item No.35/2018.
(ii) NFIR’s letters No.I/5(E) dated 30th July, 2018, 7th December, 2018 and 18th March,2019.
(iii) Railway Board’s reply vide No.E(P&A)II-2017/HW-1 dated June,2020 to NFIR.
(iv) NFIR’s letter No. I/5(E) dated 24/07/2020 addressed to Railway Board.
(v) Railway Board’s letter No. E(P&A)II-2017/HW-1 dated 29/09/2020 (RBE No.83/020).

Responding to Railway Board’s reply vide letter No. E(P&A)II-2017/HW-1 dated June 2020 to the GS/NFIR, Federation vide its letter dated 27/07/2020, requested the Railway Board to provide a copy of the proposal sent to Department of Expenditure (DoE) for taking further action at Government’s level. It is however observed that copy has not been made available till now, while the Railway Board vide RBE No. 83/2020 dated 29/09/2020 since issued instructions revising the rates of Night Duty Allowance (NDA), fixing unjustified pay ceiling at Rs. 43,600/-per month for entitlement of Night Duty Allowance to be applicable with effect from 01/07/2017. The said decision of the Railway Ministry prescribing pay ceiling of Rs. 43,600/- per month has resulted in deprival of Night Duty Allowance to large number of Railway employees, therefore unacceptable to the Federation in view of the following:-

Also check: 7th CPC Night Duty Allowance – Payment of (NDA) pursuant to the recommendations of 7th Central Pay Commission

• All Group ‘C’ Railway employees (working in GP 1800 to 4600, PB-1 & 2) are eligible to receive Night Duty Allowance (NDA) as could be verified vide Board’s letters dated 09/06/2016, 14/12/2016, 17/11/2017 & 08/03/2018. These provisions are also applicable to the Group ‘C’ Railway employees in GP 4600 and also those who got financial upgradation under MACPS in GP 4800 & 5400 respectively.
• It is relevant to note that since 6th CPC pay of the Railway employees has been fixed in 7th CPC pay levels applying multiplication factor of 2.57, similar criteria should have been applied for fixing rates of Night Duty Allowance without imposing any ceiling limit.
• With the issuance of Railway Board’s instructions vide dated 29/09/2020, prescribing pay ceiling of Rs. 43,600/-, the Railway employees working even in GP 1900, 2000, 2400/Pay Level 2, 3, 4 and above have been deprived of Night Duty Allowance, although they ‘continued to perform night duty for smooth running of train services at all times.
• The decision of Railway Board vide letter dated 29-09-2020 prescribing pay ceiling of Rs.43,600/- p.m w.e.f. July 1, 2017 would also cause financial hardship to the staff who have already been paid Night Duty Allowance at the rates prevailed till date as it may lead to recovery of the NDA already paid. This situation may lead to resentment and agony among Group ‘C’ employees of all pay levels. The Railway Ministry should take initiative and place the case before DoP&T, highlighting the uniqueness and complex working to review and allow Railway to sort out the matter in consultation with the Federations.

2. Federation also desires to re-iterate again that the issue relating to grant of Night Duty Allowance to Railway Employees w.e.f. 01-07-2016 and 01-01-2017 consequent to increase in the Dearness Allowance rates from 125% to 132% raised vide NFIR’s PNM Agenda Item No.35/2018 and discussed already has not yet been resolved, therefore the same needs to be addressed now.

NFIR, therefore, once again requests to Railway Board to kindly review and see that all the points relating to grant of Night Duty Allowance to Railway employees mentioned above and also in PNM Agenda No.15/2018 are addressed and the correspondence exchanged with the DoE be also made available to the Federation. An early action in the matter is solicited.

Also check: Implementation of Government decision on 7th CPC’s recommendations on Night Duty Allowance (NDA)

Yours faithfully,

(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

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