Impact of Pandemic and Lockdown on Indirectly dependent Person on Railways

Impact of Pandemic and Lockdown on Indirectly dependent Person on Railways: Rajya Sabha QA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

RAJYA SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO.258
ANSWERED ON 19.03.2021

IMPACT OF PANDEMIC AND LOCKDOWN ON INDIRECTLY DEPENDENT PERSONS ON RAILWAYS

258. DR. SANTANU SEN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government has undertaken a study to estimate the job loss or work loss post lockdown in March, especially for those who were indirectly dependent on Railways for their livelihood or those who were employees of contractors and sub-contractors of Railways as Railways are one of the biggest source of employment, both direct and indirect,;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) if not, whether Government is planning to take up such study to assess the impact of the lockdown and pandemic on those indirectly employed with Railways, the details thereof;

and

(d) if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO.258 BY DR. SANTANU SEN ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 19.03.2021 REGARDING IMPACT OF PANDEMIC AND LOCKDOWN ON INDIRECTLY DEPENDENT PERSONS ON RAILWAYS

(a) & (b): Ministry of Railways has not undertaken any such study to estimate the job loss or work loss post lockdown in March 2020. However, to expeditiously re-start economic activities after lifting of lockdown so as to provide employment opportunities to the contract workers engaged by contractors, Railways took a number of measures as under:

(i) Under the Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) announced by Government on 20.06.2020 for 125 days, Railways generated 14,14,604 mandays employment in 140 projects during the above Abhiyaan in identified Districts across six States, namely, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha.

(ii) Instructions were issued to release wages/payment to contractual staff directly engaged by Railways and outsourced staff engaged through contractors, who could not attend duty during lockdown period upto 31.05.2020.

(iii) Measures were also taken to increase the cash flow of contractors so as to expedite execution of works and corresponding increase in engagement of contract workers on work sites by them. Measures include release of Performance Guarantee in the on-going contracts proportionate to progress of work, release of Security Deposit available with Railways to contractors against Bank Guarantee, etc.

(c) & (d): Ministry of Railways has not planned to take up any such study since the contractual works have already been re-started and such study is not likely to provide any tangible benefits.

Source: Rajya Sabha