Rlys has over 4,000 khalasis, no reports of any abuse; review of appointment underway: Goyal

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal informed Parliament on Monday that there are over 4,000 telephone attendant-cum-dak khalasis (TADKs) or "bungalow peons" working for the national transporter, and no complaints of abuse or ill-treatment have been reported.


PTI | New Delhi | Updated: 21-09-2020 18:31 IST | Created: 21-09-2020 18:31 IST
Rlys has over 4,000 khalasis, no reports of any abuse; review of appointment underway: Goyal
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Railway Minister Piyush Goyal informed Parliament on Monday that there are over 4,000 telephone attendant-cum-dak khalasis (TADKs) or "bungalow peons" working for the national transporter, and no complaints of abuse or ill-treatment have been reported. The statement comes after an August 6 order from the Railway Board which stated that the appointment of TADKs is under review.

In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Goyal said 4,227 khalasis were working in Indian Railways as on date. He said the initial engagement of bungalow peons/TADKs is made as fresh face substitute with the personal approval of the general manager on verification and recommendation by the officer concerned. These candidates are required to meet educational qualification, age and medical fitness criteria for appointment prescribed for direct recruitment of Level-1 (erstwhile Group D) employees.

"These appointees are paid in Pay Level-1 of Seventh Central Pay Commission's pay matrix starting at Rs 18,000 and allowances as admissible. TADKs assist officials to whom they are attached. Their duties include attending to calls, recording movement of dak/files, assisting an officer in camp office, and doing official duties related to breakdowns, disaster management, field inspections and other line duties. "No complaints of abuse or ill-treatment of bungalow peons/TADK by the officers have been reported. However, few instances of grievances of TADKs have been reported by the Zonal Railways which are examined and redressed according to departmental rules and procedure," Goyal said.

He also said that a committee of executive directors was constituted to examine alternative mechanisms in place of existing ones for appointment of TADKs. The committee has since submitted its report, and it has been considered by the Ministry of Railways. "The Ministry of Railways has stopped the appointment of fresh face substitute as TADK with immediate effect vide its order dated August 2020," he said.

Upon joining the Railways as temporary staff, TADKs become Group D staff following a screening process after a period of around three years. In the past, officers posted in remote areas or working in the field during odd hours would be provided a TADK to ensure security of his family as well as to do odd official work like taking phone calls or ferrying files.

These TADK staff would usually become ticket examiners, porters, mechanics for air-conditioned coaches and cooks in the running room. However, over the years, the role was relegated to that of domestic helps and then to office peons, officials said, adding this led to initiation of a review of the post.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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