R.B.E. No. 240/2001

 

               Subject: Grant of Officiating Pay – PNM/ NFIR Item No. 55/2001.

[No. E(P&A)I –20001/FE-4/4, dated 14.12.2001] 

            It has been represented to the Board in the PNM/NFIR meeting by the Staff side that Railway administration are not issuing formal orders in cases where the staff are made to shoulder higher grade responsibilities even in cases where the circumstances justified the same as per rules: thereby denying them the benefit of Officiating Pay. 

2.   In this connection, your attention is invited to the instructions contained in Board's letter No. E(NG) 62PA 11/6, 10.4.1963, which stipulates that orders for officiating arrangements should be issued as soon as it becomes clear that such arrangement is necessary and permissible under the rules. In a few cases, employees who go on short leave, may subsequently extend their leave in bits, the sum total of which may exceed the period for which officiating arrangements are not initially permissible. Such cases can normally arise only when employees report sick. In such cases where formal orders could not be issued, there is no objection to the benefit of officiating promotion being given with effect form the date when the short vacancy originally occurred or from a suitable later date on the competent authority certifying that the Railway servant in question actually discharged the full duties of the post.

 

3.   The above instructions were further elaborated in Board's letter No. E(P&A)II-70 CPC/PA2, dated 27.1.1971 laying down inter-alia that in cases where due to unforeseen circumstances, vacancies of short-term duration eventually extends to over 30 days, there is no objection to the grant of officiating Pay in such cases from the date the vacancy originally occurred provided that the Head of Department's approval to the officiating arrangements is sought on the first occasion when the extension beyond the initial period comes to be known subject to the following conditions: 

(a)    The incumbent had held the full charge of the duties of the higher –grade post from the commencement of the arrangements and a certificate to this effect is recorded and incorporated in the office order, which may be issued subsequently by Divisional Superintendent (now Divisional Railway Manager) concerned, and

 (b)   The vacancy lasts over 30 days and is caused by factors that could not be foreseen. 

4.   Board desires that these instructions should be strictly followed and Officiating Pay allowed wherever due.