Question : EMPLOYMENT ON COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS IN BORDER ROADS ORGANISATION

(a) whether dependants of persons serving in the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are entitled for employment on compassionate grounds in case of their deaths;

(b) whether the Government are aware that wives of such employees have been refused employment on the ground that BRO does not employ women;

(c) if so, the number of such cases pending with the BRO as on date;

(d) whether the Government are aware that both the Ministry of Surface Transport and the Defence have refused to accommodate such widows;

(e) whether BRO had offered to Army some time back to employ equal number of male members on Army’s request in lieu of employing such widows;

(f) if so, the details thereof; and
(g) the reasons for BRO not being permitted to employ such widows at their Headquarters or at peace stations?

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)

(a) The dependants of deceased or medically boarded out employees of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) who are in indigent circumstances are eligible for appointment on compassionate grounds which can be made upto a maximum of 5% of vacancies falling under direct recruitment quota in any Group ‘C’ or ‘D’ posts.

(b) The General Reserve Engineer Force of BRO is modelled on army pattern and has been declared as an integral part of the Armed Forces and, therefore, there is a ban on appointment of females in BRO.

(c) As on date, 71 widows are on the waiting list for appointment on compassionate grounds.

(d) They are not eligible for appointment in the Ministry of Surface Transport and Defence.

(e)&(f): In order to mitigate the difficulties of such dependents, a mutual arrangement had been worked out between BRO and Army Headquarters by which two male dependents of army personnel are to be employed in BRO as against one female dependent of BRO personnel to be appointed in lower formations of the army. Army Headquarters have not refused appointment of female dependents of BRO personnel, but have not been releasing any vacancy since September 1996 obviously due to the limited number of vacancies available for appointment on compassionate grounds.

(g) There is a ban on appointment of females in BRO.