Is it Privatisation or Outsourcing in Indian Railways ?

Is it Privatization or Outsourcing in Indian Railways ?

The Railways has around 13 lakh permanent employees and over 4.5 lakh contractual and outsourced staff. It shows a ratio of 3:1.  May be in coming days, it may be jump to 2:1

Activities (termed as Non Core) that are already outsourced on a phased manner in Indian Railways are :

·         AC Coach attendants

·         Platform cleaning

·         Security

·         Executing the works in Indian Railways

·         P.Way maintenance

·         Catering & Pantry car

·          Hospitality

·         Doctors in Railway Hospital

·           Supply of Bed linen in AC Coaches

·          OBHS – On Board Housekeeping Services

·          Parcel vans

·         Sanitation in Railway colonies

·         Managing Retiring Rooms Dormitories

·         Housekeeping of Railway Stations

·         Railtel for telecom operations

·         RVNL for construction activities

·         Disburse salaries through NEFT (thereby reducing the Cash office staff)

·         Doorstep Banking

·         Engineering Surveys

·         Painting or removal of paint of Rolling Stock in Production Units / Workshops

·         Maintenance of IVRS – Interactive Voice Response System

·         Transportation of released track material

·         Leasing of SLR space

·         Unscheduled and scheduled repairs of house wiring and operations of  Pumps/DG sets / Stationery AC Plants/ Distribution network of power supply

·         Unscheduled repair of major electrical assembly of locomotives / multiple units / Alternaor / fans / Compressor in AC Coaches

·         Waiting halls in Platforms

Proposed / Contemplated activities are

·         PMC – Project Management Consultancy – Supervising the Works

·         Corporatisation of Railway Production Units and Workshops

·         Corporatisation of all construction activities

·         Railway Station operations (as a whole )

·         EPC – Engineering , Procurement and Construction (from estimate stage to completion stage)

·         Certain activities of Salary preparation, maintenance of Provident Fund / NPS etc

·         Private Trains

The above list is endless. I advise Railway employees to face any eventuality of the rapid changes in the Indian Railways in coming days.

Note:

I am neither pro nor against the above reforms / privatisation of the Non core activities of Indian Railways.

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