New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has said Railways` policy on providing jobs to dependents of train accident victims is faulty and recommended immediate formulation of specific guidelines to deal with such cases.
The committee has noted while there were 638 train mishap casualties during April 2007 to March 2010, only 48 dependents were given employment.
The extant rules provides for giving compensation to dependents of those who have lost their lives in train mishaps.
However, the Standing Committee on Railways has found employment to dependents of victims of train accidents is provided as a humanitarian measure only in cases where announcement to this effect has been made by Railway Minister.
The committee, headed by T R Baalu, also found pleas for 20 such cases were either not received by the authorities concerned or were rejected or claimant showed unwillingness.
On public grievance directorate, the committee found only 107 complaints were received in the last five years.
There is a lack of awareness among the applicants about the existing mechanism in railways, which in all probability might be the reason for such a negligible number of complaints, the panel said.
The committee has therefore suggested wide publicity to publicise the existing mechanism for redressal of complaints.
Taking note of the constant allegation of malpractices and irregularities against Railway Recruitment Boards (RRB), the committee is for regular monitoring of the recruitment system.
"Railway Ministry should review their recruitment system at fixed intervals of time in order to strengthen the recruitment system and making it fault free," the panel recommended.
PTI
