(a) whether the Expenditure Reforms Commission has made series of recommendations on downsizing the strength of the railway employees/ privatization of some of the operations;
(b) if so, the details of the observations/ recommendations made by the Commission;
(c) the reaction of the Government thereto; and
(d) the action taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government on those recommendations?
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI NITISH KUMAR)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the Sabha.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED
QUESTION NO. 531 BY SHRI ANANT GUDHE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA
ON 02.05.2002 REGARDING EXPENDITURE REFORMS COMMISSION.
(a) & (b) The Expenditure Reforms Commission in its report, does
not mention about downsizing, with specific reference to
Railways. However, in their supplementary note titled “Task
Ahead†brought out in September 2001, the Expenditure Reforms
Commission has mentioned Railways in the context, that only in
the case of very large staff oriented services/ production
organizations like Railways, Ordnance Factories etc. would there
be a need for outside professional services, to review the staff
strength. No reference has been made by the Expenditure Reforms
Commission with reference to privatization of operations in
Railways.
(c) & (d) Railways have already been following the policy of
rightsizing since over a decade. The staff strength as on
31.03.1990 and as on 31.03.2001 is given below:
As on Total Staff
31.03.1990 18,06,724 31.03.2001 15,45,308 Reduction 2,61,416