New Delhi: There is an urgent requirement for additional manpower to maintain the railways’ ever-increasing assets, Board Chairman Satish Kumar has said, urging the Finance Ministry to give the board the power to create non-gazetted posts in safety and essential categories.
In a letter to Manoj Govil, the Secretary (Expenditure) in the Finance Ministry, Kumar said the Railways has over the last few years witnessed a significant increase in capital expenditure -- from Rs 1.48 lakh crores in 2019-20 to 2.62 lakh crores in 2023-24.
“This capital expenditure is resulting in significant increase in assets for which adequate manpower is required for Reliable and Safe Train Operation,” Kumar said.
“These assets will further increase in coming years considering Railways target of Mission 3,000 MT (by 2030) from current level of 1,610 MT,” he said.
Kumar argued that for achieving this objective, more trains will have to be run which requires increased manpower for both train running and infrastructure maintenance.
Kumar said, “As per the existing instruction of Department of Expenditure (DoE), Ministry of Finance, creation of posts (except crew review in railway) requires the approval of Department of Expenditure.”
Kumar has attached a summary of new assets created in the Railways over the past five years. According to the summary, track circuits increased by 269 per cent, railway electrification by 79 per cent and loco sheds holding
both electric and diesel locos by 227 per cent.