RBE No 148/2019

Government of India/ Bharat Sarkar

Ministry of Railways/Rail Mantralaya

(Railway Board)

No. E(G) 2019 HOI-11 (Master Circular)                                                                                               New Delhi, dated 05.09.2019

The General Managers,

All Indian Railway,

Production Units & others.

Sub: -Grant of Honorarium.

Master Circular no 11 on "HONORARIUM", a compilation of instructions on the subject was last brought out and circulated vide Railway Board's letter no E(G) 90 HOI- 11 (Master Circular) and RBE no 34/91 dated 10.04.1991. Since then, some provisions have undergone some change and some new ones have been introduced. With the objective to bring about all the current basic instructions at one place, the Master Circular has been updated by incorporating the modifications/additions to the instructions in the revised Master Circular as under:

2. General:

2.1 A Competent authority may grant or permit a railway servant to receive an honorarium as remuneration for work performed which is occasional or intermittent in character and either so laborious or of such special merit as to justify a special reward. Except when special reasons, which should be recorded in writing, exist for a departure from this provision, sanction to the grant or acceptance of an honorarium should not be given unless the work has been undertaken with the prior consent of the competent authority and its amount has been settled in advance.

(Ref: Para 1334 (b) IREC Vol I)

2.2 While sanctioning honoraria, the sanctioning authority shall record in writing that due regard has been paid to the general principle enunciated in Rule 237, IREC Vol 1 / (F.R.11), and shall record also the reasons which in his opinion justify the grant of the extra remuneration.

(Ref: Para 1334 (c) IREC Vol I)

2.3 Whole time of railway servant at the disposal of Government. Unless in any case it be otherwise distinctly provided, the whole time of a railway servant is at the disposal of the Government which pays him, and he may be employed in any manner required by proper authority, without claim for additional remuneration, whether the services required of him are such as would ordinarily be remunerated from the Consolidated Fund of Government of India, from a local fund or from the fun ds of a body incorporated or not, which is wholly or substantially owned or controlled by the Government.

(Ref: Para 237 IREC Vol 1 and F.R.11)

2.4 No honorarium will be admissible for temporary increases in work, forming a part of the legitimate duties of a Railway servant. Also, honorarium is not payable for conducting oral tests and trade tests at the end of initial training and refresher course in offices or Railway Training Schools. No portion of the honorarium received by a Railway servant is required to be credited to the Railway Revenues.

(Ref:- Board's letter No. E(G)64 HOI/9 dated 11.11.64).

3.1 In respect of Gazetted officers: General Managers have been delegated power to grant honorarium to a Gazetted Railway Servant an amount of up to

(a) Rs.10,000/- in a year for undertaking work as arbitrator in a dispute in which the Railway Administration is a party; and

(b) Rs.5,000/- in a year in all other types of cases (eg. Setting up of question papers, evaluation of answer sheets etc), except cases of acceptance of honorarium for conducting Disciplinary Enquiries against Railway officers arising out of Vigilance/CBI cases where the limit shall be as per the rate fixed by Board from time to time.

(Ref: Board's letters No. F(X)II-2015/PW/7 dt.12/06/2017 and Board's letter No. E(G) 2010 HO1/20 Dt.11.9.2010)

 3.2 In respect of Non Gazetted Railway Servants: General Managers have been delegated power to grant honorarium to a Non Gazetted Railway Servant an amount of up to

(a) Rs 15,000/- in each individual case;

(b) 25% of annual basic pay plus grade pay in a financial year in case of Cashiers and other cash and pay staff;

Note:

(i) Where the honorarium is recurring, the limit applies to the total amount paid in a financial year.

(ii) These powers will be exercised with the concurrence of FA& CAO.

(Ref: Board's letters No. F(X)II-2015/PW/7 dt.12/06/2017)

(iii) Vide RB Letter No. 99/AC-II/20/2/Pt Dt. 25.7.2013 (RBA 17/2013), the ceiling limit of 10% was fixed with effect from a retrospective date i.e. 01.01.2010. Pursuant to directions/orders dated 02.06.2016 of Hon'ble CAT, Principal Bench, New Delhi in O.A 1802/2014 filed by U.S. Meena & Others vs UOI, Railway Board vide letter No. E(G) 2014/HO1-16/ CC Dt. 10.10.2018 RBE: 155/2018) decided that the ceiling limit as prescribed in Board's letter dated 25.07.2013 (RBA No. 17/2013) would be effective from the date of issue of letter i.e 25.7.2013 and honorarium due prior to 25.07.2013 would be sanctioned at the previous rates as effective from 01.07.2009.

(c) Rs.500/- per case to the steno engaged by the Arbitrator for the secretarial work in connection with the Arbitration work.

(Authority Bd's letter E(G) 2004 HO1-2 Dt. 21.5.04) 

3.3 Proposals involving grant of honorarium in excess of the above-mentioned limits should be referred to the Railway Board in the proforma prescribed for the purpose in Railway Board's letter No. E(G) 80 HO1/30 dated 2.9.81.

4. Rates of Honorarium for delivering lectures in NAIR/ CTIs/ Zonal Training Schools/HQs/Divisions etc:

4.1 For delivering lectures in NAIR and other CTIs: DG/NAIR and Directors of CTIs can sanction

(a) Upto Rs. 15,000/- per session of two hours for Guest Faculty of Eminence (non-Railway/Serving or Retired) only if there are reasons to justify such payment, which should be duly recorded in writing;

(b) Upto Rs. 5000/- per session of upto two hours to the Govt./Railway officer (serving or retired) of SAG and above rank.

(c) Up to Rs. 2500/- per session of up to two hours duration to the visiting lecturers other than (a) and (b) mentioned above.

Note:

(i) No Finance concurrence is required.

(j) NAIR and CTIs shall have to stay within the allotment of fund while exercising this power.

(Ref: Letter No. 2018/TF/CRB Directive/NAIR(Pt) Dt. 5.06.2018)

4.2 For delivering lectures in Zonal Training Schools/Centres:

(a) Rs 2500/- per day for lectures of 2 hours duration subject to a maxi mum of Rs 5000/- per week to officers of Railway/Central/State Government ordinarily of the rank of joint Secretary to the Government and reputed academicians/special invitees.

(b) Rs. 1250/- per day for lectures of 2 hours duration subject to a maximum of Rs 2500/- per week to JAG/SG officers of Railway/Central/State Government.

(c) Rs 1000/- per day for lectures of 2 hours duration subject to a maximum of Rs 2000/- per week to other gazetted/non- gazetted officials of Railway/Central/State Government other than those mentioned in para (a) and (b) above.

Note:

(i) Not more than 15% of the total training sessions organized by the Zonal Training Schools/Centres should be covered by the lectures by the visiting faculty. This restriction should be strictly followed.

(Ref: Bds letter No. 2018/ TransCell/ Process Reform Dt. 27.11.2018)

(ii) The honorarium provided would also be admissible to retired Railway officials when invited to deliver lectures in Zonal Training School/Centres. The retired Railway Servants are to be invited for delivering lectures only on rules and safety matters.

(Ref: Boards letter No.E(G) 96 HO1-2 Dt. 21.08.98)

4.3 For delivering lectures in connection with training of Accounts Staff:

(a) For training to candidates appearing in Appendix-3 IREM examination: Rs 225 per day;

(b) For training to candidates appearing in Appendix-2 IREM examination: Rs 180 per day; (Rates at (a) and (b) above are subject to duration of lecture being not less than one hour)

(c) For training to directly recruited Probationary Accounts clerk grade-1: Rs 180 per day subject to duration of lecture being not less than two hour

(Ref:- Railway Board's letter No.E(G)2008HOI-10 dated 05.11.2008).

4.4 For retired officers/staff when invited to deliver lecture to the staff of Personnel Branch at HQ/Divisional Offices:

Rs.100/- per day subject to a maximum of Rs.300/- per week provided the retired officer/staff (age limit of 65 years) delivers lectures for a minimum of two periods of 45 minutes each per day.

(Ref: Boards letter No. E(G) 95 HO1-14 Dt. 13.2.98)

5. Honorarium for Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) held for promotion from Gr.C to Gr. B.

(a) Rs. 1000/- per question paper setting;

(b) Rs. 50/- per Answer Sheet evaluation;

Note: Honorarium shall be paid for evaluation of Answer Books only if they are evaluated and returned within one month. The time limit may be relaxed to two months in such cases where the number of answer sheets to be evaluated exceeds 250.

(Ref:- Board's letter No. E(G)2001/HO 1-7 dated 03.03.2009 and E(G) 2001/HO1-7dated 29.12.2009)

6. Honorarium for Exams conducted by RRBs/RRC etc:

6.1 Written Examinations:

(a) The rates of honorarium payable to various functionaries engaged by RRBs/RRCs in connection with holding of examinations are detailed hereunder:-

(b) The rates as in para (a) apply to all examinations conducted by RRB viz. Mass categories, technical and others. Vide Railway Board's letter No. E(G)2006/HOI-14 dated 07.02.2014, these rates have also been made applicable to examinations conducted by RRCs.

(c) These rates also apply to RPF personnel deployed for written examinations.

( Ref: Railway Board's letter No. E(G)2010HOI-38 dated 02.11.2012, and No. E(G) 2006/HO1-14 Dt. 04.02.2015).

6.2 Examination under CBT mode: The rates of honorarium payable to various officials deputed in control rooms (Generally made in examinations conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode) on the dates of RRB examinations (also applicable to examinations conducted by RRCs) in Zonal HQ, Divisions, RRB/RRC offices and Railway Board (E/RRB) are detailed here as under:-

(Ref:- Railway Board's letter No.E(G)2010 HOI-38 dated 19.11.2018)

6.3 For conducting Physical Efficiency Test (PET):

(Ref:- Railway Board's letter No. E(G)2006/HOI-14 dated 07.02.2014)

6.4  For functionaries involved in Document Verification (DV) for level - 1 recruitment in RRCS:

Note: The above rates are effective from 01.04.2019.

(Ref: Railway Board's letter No. E(G) 2006/HO1-14 Dt15.07.2019 (RBE 114/2019) and letter of even No. Dated 19.07.2019)

7. Honorarium payable to the Nucleus Cipher Operators:

(Ref: Boards letter No. E(G) 2013 HO1-7 Dt. 28.10.2013)

8. Honorarium for conducting Department Inquiries

8.1 In cases of vigilance investigations:

A summary of rates of honorarium for IOS/POs and Stenograph ic/typist assistance, as deduced from RB Board's letter No.2009/V-I/DAR/6/1 dt.22.09.2011 and letter No.2012/V-I/DAR/6/2 dt.07.10.2015 is tabulated as under:

Note: The above rates are subject to certain conditions for which the letters mentioned may be referred.

8.2 In cases of other than vigilance investigations:

(a) Non-Vigilance administrative cases also qualify for the same remuneration as applicable to the Vigilance cases as issued vide Board's letter No.2009/V-I/DAR/6/1 dt.22.09.2011. The rates will be applicable from the date of the order i.e 07.05.2015.

(b) The rates of honorarium as and when enhanced by Vigilance Directorate, will automatically be applicable to those conducting non-vigilance cases.

(Ref:- Railway Board's letter No.E(G)2012/HOI-13 dated 07.05.2015)

(d) The same rates have also been made applicable to the I.Os of RPF/RPSF with effect from 03.09.2019.

(Ref: Railway Board's letter no E(G) 2012/HO1-13 dated 03.09.2019)

9. Honorarium for articles published in the Indian Railways Technical Bulletin (other than the articles adjudged 1st, 2nd, 3rd for which cash prize is given) to Rs.400/- per article. The other terms and conditions, as prescribed in Boards letter No. E(G) 60 HO1- 28 dated 30.09.63 including non-admissibility of honorarium to RDSO staff/officers would continue to apply.

(Ref:- Board's letter No.E(G)98/HO 1-9 dated 01.02.2000)

10. Other provisions:

10.1 For broadcasts over AIR on subjects purely of a literary or artistic or Scientific character, where no sanction is necessary to undertake the work, no permission is needed to receive honorarium. Similarly, where sanction to broadcast is obtained, such sanction carries with it the permission to receive the honorarium.

(Ref. Railway Ministry's decision given below Rule 1334-RTI)

10.2 A Railway servant may also, with the prior sanction of the competent authority, act as an arbitrator in a dispute between private parties. While giving the permission, the competent authority should decide whether the Railway servant, consistent with his official responsibilities can undertake the arbitration work and accept any fees subject to the provisions governing acceptance of fees.

 (Ref. Railway Ministry's decision given below Rule 1334-RTI).

10.3 Recourse to the payment of honorarium should be taken in exceptional cases. Where the work is entrusted on payment of honorarium, it should be so distributed amongst the existing staff, that the amount of honorarium does not become a source of regular profit to a few.

(Ref: Railway Ministry's letter No.E(G)80HO1/30 dt.2.9.81).

11.1 While referring to this circular, the original circulars referred to herein should be read for a proper appreciation. This circular is only a consolidation of the instructions issued so far and should not be treated as substituting the originals. In case of any doubt, the original circular should be relied upon as authority.

11.2 The instructions contained in the original circulars mentioned herein have only prospective effect unless specifically indicated otherwise in the said circulars.

11.3 If any circular on the subject, which has not been superseded has been missed in preparing this consolidated circular, the said circular which has not been taken into consideration due to oversight, should be treated as valid and operative.

Hindi version will follow.

(Anita Gautam)

Director Estt. (General)