Railway doctors demand their salary benefits be restrored

Indian Railways Health Service Association (IRHSA) has demanded the Centre to restore its conveyance allowances and other benefits, which has been reduced arbitrarily.

The Association in its letter to the Union Finance Secretary said that while the entire cadre of Central Government Doctors (CHS) including the IRHS, were working tirelessly & risking their lives to treat patients during the pandemic, reduction of their conveyance allowance and other benefits was disheartening.

The Dearness Allowance (DA) indexed Conveyance Allowance for doctors is based on a number of emergent domiciliary visits, emergency and recurrent hospital visits out of duty hours and on-duty official movements in and out of duty hours within the jurisdiction by their own vehicle.

While other department employees get fixed Conveyance Allowance based on the distance covered on duty including out of jurisdiction by own vehicle.

However, the Finance Ministry has mixed up the two different entities of Conveyance Allowance to doctors and other department employees. As a result of which, Conveyance Allowance for doctors has been reduced to less than 50% of the last drawn amount of Rs 7425.

"It is unfortunate that central government doctors, who are working hard, the so-called corona worriers and front runners in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, face significant salary deduction to the extent of 15,000/- (@ level 10) to 30000/- (@ level 14)," said the memorandum the copy of which also sent to the Prime Minister Office, Finance Minister, and the Railway Board.

While requesting the government to restore all benefits, the Association also demanded to increase Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) to 40%. The Association also pointed out that their non-practicing allowance was reduced to 20% from the pre-existing 25%. As NPA is also a part of basic salary it has impacted the pensions of doctors to a great extent.

The association also made a plea to the government to compensate doctors for loss of their salary due to the feezing of DA at 3% each in January and July as they were working during the entire lockdown period.