The Indian Railways will pay contractual/outsourced staff engaged for various activities on trains and Railway establishments during the COVID-19 lockdown period, when train services were suspended till May 31, 2020. This will benefit thousands of workers who were directly affected by the nationwide lockdown.
In an order to General Managers of all Zonal Railways and Production Houses, the Railway Board referred to the circular of the Ministry of Finance on “payment of wages to outsourced persons of Ministries/Departments and other organisations of Government of India during lockdown period due to COVID-19”, and said payment to contractors should be made after obtaining proof of paying salaries to workers for the previous month.
As part of social distancing and isolation measures due to the spread of the coronavirus, Central/State governments had announced a lockdown across the country. Due to these safety measures, the Ministry of Finance said there was a likelihood of a number of contractual, casual and outsourced workers such as housekeeping staff being required to stay at home, which in normal circumstances would result in deduction in their pay/wages.
“In order to avoid any undue hardships under the prevailing extraordinary circumstances, it has been decided that wherever any such contractual, casual and outsourced staff of Ministries/Departments and other organisation of Government of India is required to stay at home due to the pandemic shall be treated as ‘on duty’ during such period of absence and necessary pay/wages would be paid accordingly,” the order said.
The Indian Railways engages a large number of contractual workers for housekeeping, cleaning, catering, bedroll supply/management, laundry and other services in trains, railway stations and other establishments across its network. These staff are paid by contractors and the bills settled by the Zonal Railways/production houses.
