Re-reimbursement of Children Education Allowance to Railway employees - NFIR

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NFIR National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (Affiliated to Indian National Union Congress) (Affiliated to International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) London) No.I/13(a) Dated – February 06, 2012 Sub: Re-reimbursement of Children Education Allowance to the employees - Unjustified decision to deny the Allowance on the plea on non-production of original bills - S.C.Railway Ref : Railway Board's letter No. E(W)2008/ED-2/4 dated 01.10.2008 & 10.06.2009. NFIR enclose copy of C.P.O. South Railway's circular No.SCR/P-HQ/Ruling/0/866/P(R) 249/III dated 8.4.2011. Vide Para V (3) of the circular of South Central Railway, it has been stipulated that the claim made by the employee should not be processed unless it is accompanied with the bills in original. This condition is causing hardship to those employees who have produced certified copies of the bills as the original bills were misplaced / lost. NFIR contends that so long as claims are genuine according to the certified copies of bills (certified by the Competent Authorities of Institutions). In view of the above, NFIR requests the Railway Board to issue instructions to the General Manager, South Central Railway to entertain the claims for re-imbursement of Children Education Allowance on the strength of certified copies of the bills. Encl : Copy to C.P.O..S.C.Railway's letter No.SCR/P-HQ/Ruling/0/866/P(R)249/III dated 8.4.2011 Yours failthfully, sd/- (M.Raghavaiah) General Secretary SOUTH CENTRAL RAILWAY Headquarters Office, Personnel Department/SC Dated 08.04.2011 No.SCR/P-HQ/Ruling/0/866 No.P(R)249/III ALL CONCERNED Sub: Grant of Children Education Allowance to Railway employees. 1.Instructions of Railway Board vide their letter No. E(W)2008/ED-2/4 dated 01.10.2008 circulated under Serial Circular No.135/08 provide for grant of Children Education Allowance (CEA) per month at prescribed rates, which can be availed in respect of a maximum of 2 children for expenditure incurred on the education of school going children only i.e. for children from classes nursery to twelfth, including classes eleventh and twelfth held by junior colleges or schools affiliated to Universities or Boards of Education. In cases where minimum qualification for admission in the two years Diploma course in Polytechnic is 10th Class and the student joins the polytechnic after passing X class, the classes of the above course in terms of Board's letter dated 18.19.2008 [S.C.No.207/08]. Children Education Allowance is to be allowed on the submission of original receipts and on the basis of self-certification by the Railway servant. II. It was further clarified by the Railway Board under their letter No.E(W)2008/ED-2/4 dated 10.6.2009 [S.C. No. 93/09] that, other than the exceptions, Children Education Allowance is to be allowed for eldest two surviving children studying in schools affiliated to Boards of Education. III. Board have also clarified under letter dated 23.02.2011 [No.31/2011] that CEA/Hostel Subsidy will be admissible till the end of the academic year in which the Government servant ceased to be in service due to retirement, discharge, dismissal or removal from the service in the course of academic year. The payment is to be made by the office in which the Railway servant worked prior to these events and payment regulated by the other conditions laid down under the CEA scheme. IV. Whether Railway Servant dies while in service the CEA/Hostel Subsidy shall be payable to the children till such time the employee would have actually received the same provided the spouse of the employee is not employed in service of the Central Govt., State Government, Autonomous Body, PSU, Semi-Government Organization such as Municipality, Post Trust Authority or any other organization partly or fully by the Central Government/State Governments, subject to the condition that other terms and conditions are fulfilled. The payment shall be made by the office in which the Railway servant worked prior to his demise. [b]. The upper age limit for disabled children has been set at the age of 22 years. In the case of other children the age limit will now be 20 years or till the time of passing 12th class, which-ever is earlier. Cases where reimbursement have already been made in respect of children above this age need not be reopened. Board have also decided that CEA may henceforth be allowed in case of children studying through "Correspondence or Distance Learning", subject to fulfilment of other conditions prescribed. [c] For the purpose of hostel subsidy, station would be demarcated by the first three digits of the PIN Code of the area where the Railway Servant is posted and/or residing. The first three digits of the PIN Code indicate a Revenue District. IV. Despite the above instructions, during a recent vigilance check on a Division, it has been noticed that claims in respect of the third and fourth child and even dependent brothers and sisters were submitted and Children Education Allowance was paid. It has also been noticed that the claims are being processed for payment though it is submitted without the original bills in proof of having incurred the expenses. V. While retirement the extant instructions on the subject for strict adherence, the following guidelines are issued in order to prevent fraudulent claims being submitted/processed. 1. The employees should mandatorily submit a copy of the pass declaration for the year for which the children education allowance is being claimed duly countersigned by the Controlling Officers/Supervisory official, along with the claim for CEA. A copy of the medical identity card may also be enclosed. 2. A certificate to the effect that the claim for children education allowance is for the first or second child as the case may be, duly signed by the employee, should also accompany the claim. It should also be indicated in the certificate that if at a later date the claim is found to be false, the amount paid will be recovered in one lumpsum besides initiating DAR action. 3. The claim should not be processed unless it is accompanied with the bills in original. 4. The Bill drawing Officers should not allow the claim of CEA without the certification by the employees as above and the original bills. 5. The claims of CEA/Hostel Subsidy of wards of deceased employees submitted by the family pensioner should be processed by the office in which the employee worked prior to his demise and payment arranged to the family pensioner by the Settlement Section, subject to the conditions stipulated in para III [a] above. The claim should be accompanied with a copy of documentary proof viz., Family Identity Card/Medical Card indicating the date of birth of the ward[s]. 6. Claims of CEA/Hostel Subsidy if any, submitted by employees who ceased to be in service due to retirement, discharge, dismissal or removal from service in the course of an academic year, should be processed by the office in which the employee worked prior to these events and payment arranged by the Settlement Section in terms of para III above, subject to other terms and conditions laid down under CEA scheme. V. This issues in consultation with FA&CAO and has the approval of competent authority. sd/- (G.Subramanyam) SPO/Rules for Chief Personnel Officer Source: NFIR Share and Care

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