New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday assured public relations officers of the Indian Railways that he would take up their demands, including cadre upgradation, with Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Birla, who attended the All India Railway Public Relations Seminar in Rajasthan's Kota, appreciated the "significant" role of the cadre in disseminating information related to train services to the common people.
"Public Relations Officers have shared with me their demands regarding cadre upgradation among others, and I will convey them to the railway minister," Birla said.
He asserted that the Public Relations Department of the Railways is a "bridge of trust" between the government and the people.
The seminar -- organised by the Railway PRO cadre for the first time -- deliberated upon the department's current operational practices, responsibilities, and structural challenges.
Senior Public Relations Officers, Public Relations Officers and Publicity Inspectors from across the country shared their insights, experiences, and practical suggestions regarding cadre-related concerns.
"This interactive session proved to be a milestone in defining the department's future path, enhancing its efficiency, and laying a strong foundation for cadre restructuring," the Bhartiya Railway Jansampark Karmi Kalyan Samiti, a representative body of the cadre, said in a statement.
"It not only reflected the unity and collective spirit of the department but also served as a powerful platform to bring the concerns of the Public Relations Cadre to the attention of policymakers," according to the statement.