NOTE OF ORGANISATION OF USERS’ CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF ZONAL RAILWAYS AND NATIONAL RAILWAY USERS’ CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL AT THE CENTRE.

*****

            With a view to securing better representation of railway users and affording more frequent opportunities for consultation between Railway Administrations and users on matters relating to the services provided by Railways and means of improving the efficiency of such services, the Government has established Railway Users’ Consultative Committees at various levels indicated below: -

(i)   Railway Users’ Consultative Committees at the Divisional levels .

(ii) A Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee at the headquarters of each railway; and

(iii) A National Railway Users’ Consultative Council at the Center.

2.          FUNCTIONS

            The Railway Users Consultative Committees in the Divisions represent the local users in the territories served by the Railway and consider matters relating to: -

i. Provision of amenities in the area with which the Committee is concerned.

ii. Proposal regarding opening of new stations within the jurisdiction of the Committee.

iii. Arrangements regarding time table.

iv. Improvement of passenger services and facilities provided by the Railways.

v. Any subject of general public interest or public convenience or such matters affecting the passenger services and facilities which has been the subject of representation by users, or which has been referred to them for consideration by the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee, the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council or by the Administration.

3.   The Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee at the Headquarters of each railway represents the general railway users of the territory of zone served by the railway as a whole and considers:   

    

(i)Such matters, from the point of view of the zone as a whole, as are referred to in para 2;

(ii)Matters arising from the reports of the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committees, or such other matters relating to the subject referred to in para 2, as may be specifically forwarded by the Divisional Committees for consideration; and

(iii)Matters referred for consideration and report by the Administration, Ministry of Railways or the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council.

4.         The National Railway Users’ Consultative Council at the Center considers:.

(i)Such matters relating to the services and facilities provided by railways as may be referred to it for consideration by the Ministers.

(ii)Such matter being within the scope of the function of the Zonal Committee as are referred to it for consideration by such Committees; and

(iii)Such other matters relating to the services and facilities on railways, which individual members of the council may, with the approval of the Chairman, desire should be included in the agenda.

5.         All the Committees and Council established under these rules are consultative in character.

6.         Questions relating to staff, discipline and appointment should not be brought before the Committees or the Council.

7.         The Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee will consist of members to represent the principal interests among railway users of the area, the membership being determined as follows:

i)Not more than six members to be appointed by the General Manager, made up of one representative each of local Chambers of Commerce, Trade Associations and industries and Agriculture Associations;

ii)Two representatives of the Registered Passenger Associations in the area, to be appointed by the General Manager;

 

iii)  

a)One member to represent special interests to be nominated on the recommendations of the General Manager of the Railway.

b)Such number of persons as the Minister may consider necessary to be appointed to represent the interests, which he/she considers are necessary to be represented on the committee.

iv)One representative each of the Governments of the States served by the Division;

 

v)One member each of the Legislature of the States served by the Divisions recommended by the State Governments and

 

vi)

 

(a)One nominee of each union minister (Lok Sabha) on the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee(s) serving his/her constituency.

(b)One nominee of each Union Minister (Rajya Sabha) on any one                            DRUCC    serving the State from which he/she has been elected.

 

(c)One nominee of each Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) on the    Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee(s) serving his/her constituency.

 

(d)One nominee of each Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) on any       one DRUCC serving the State from which he/she has been elected.

 

(e)Nominated Members of Parliament of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can nominate one representative on any one DRUCC on any one Zonal Railway.

 

(f)No Member of Parliament will be nominated on Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee.

     

             vii)      One representative of Consumer Protection Organisation.

          

            viii)      One representative of Handicapped Association.

NOTE: -

Persons holding assignments of profit connected with Railways e.g. catering and vending contractors, Out Agency contractors, handling contractors, engineering contractors, Rail Travellers Service Agents and State/Central Government Servant etc. are debarred from the membership of the Railway Users’ Consultative Committees and the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council.

8.         Where by reason of the larger number of Chambers, Trade Associations, Passenger Associations etc. representation cannot be given to all such bodies, representation may be given to them by rotation.

9.         The Divisional Railway Manager of the Division concerned will be the Chairman of the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee.  One of the senior traffic officers of the Division concerned will function as the Secretary of the Committee.

10.       The Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee at the Headquarters of each railway consists of persons appointed by the Minister of Railways  to represent the general railway users in the territory served by the railways as stated below:-

    

(i)One representative each of the Governments of the States served by the Railway as recommended by such Government.

(ii)One member each of the States Legislature recommended by the State Governments;

 

(iii)Note more than five representatives of principal Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations having a standing of not less than five years.

 

(iv)Not more than two representatives to be sent by State Government or Governments of Agricultural Associations and other bodies not included in or affiliated to the Chambers of Commerce etc. referred to in item (3) above;

 

(v)One non-official representative elected from each of the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committees.

 

(vi)Two representative of the Public Sector Undertakings including Ports in the case of Railways serving Ports.  On the N.F. Railway, the representation will be given to one Public Sector Undertaking only;

 

(vii)Registered Passenger Association – one from each of the State which have a sizeable route kilometer on the Railways. However, in case of those Railways whose jurisdiction is largely served by only one State and there is no active Registered Passenger Association in any other state, two Registered Passenger Associations can also be nominated from one state on one ZRUCC. However, in such cases, the total number of Registered Passenger Associations nominated on any ZRUCC will not be more than two.

 

(viii)One representative of Consumer Protection Organisation;

 

(ix)One representative of Handicapped Association.

x)   Ten Members of Parliament (7 from Lok Sabha and 3 from Rajya Sabha);

xi)     (a) One representative of each Union Minister (Lok Sabha) on the    ZRUCC(s) serving his/her constituency.

                           (b) One representative of each Union Minister (Rajya Sabha) on any one

                           ZRUCC serving the State from which he/she has been elected.

xii)  One member to represent special interests to be nominated on the recommendation of the General Manager of the Railway; and

xiii)  Such number of persons as the Minister may consider necessary to be appointed to represent the interests, which he/she considers are necessary to be represented on the committee.

NOTE:- Persons bolding assignments of profit connected with Railways, e.g. catering and vending contractors, out-agency contractors handling contractors, engineering contractors Rail Travellers Service Agents, State and Central Government Servants etc. are debarred from the membership of the Railway Users’ Consultative Committees and the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council.

11.       The member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee representing industries, commerce and trade are ordinarily drawn from important local Chambers or Association representing predominant trade interest and approved by the State Governments concerned.  After the Chambers or Associations etc. are approved for representation by the Minister, how the Chamber or Associations etc. select their representative i.e. by election or otherwise is left to them.

12.       The General Manager will be the Chairman of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee and the Secretary to the General Manager or such other officer as may be nominated for the purpose by the General Manager, will function as Secretary of the Committee.

13.     National Railway Users’ Consultative Council consists of persons appointed by the Minister for Railways to represent the General Railway Users as shown below:-

i)          Secretaries of the following Ministries of the Government of India:

                                     a)        Ministry of Industry

 b)        Ministry of Commerce, Civil Supplies and Co-operation

 c)        Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation

 ii)        Chairman, Members of the Railway Board.

NOTE: The Minister may invite any other officers to attend meetings of the Council, as he/she may consider necessary to assist in the conduct of business.

iii)        Fifteen Members of Parliament, 10 of whom being from the Lok  

            Sabha and five from Rajya Sabha. - 15

iv)      A representative of each of Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative

          Committee, not being an official to be elected by the respective

          Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee &one representative

          of Konkan Railway Users’ Consultative Committee       - 17

                     v)            One member each from the following All India Associations: -

·Federated Chambers of Commerce

·Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry

·Indian Jute Mills Association

·Indian Sugar Mills Association

·All India Manufacturers Association

·Cement Manufacturers Association.

·All India Travel Agents Association and similar All India Associations.

Members will be taken by turn from these Associations.-7

                         vi)      One to represent Agricultural Interests- 1

                         vii)     One to represent Handicapped Association - 1

 viii)     Two Retired officers of Railway (Member of Board/General Manager) – 2

                           ix)  Such other members as the Minister may appoint to represent   interests, which he/she considers are necessary to be represented on the council.

NOTE: Persons holding assignments of profit connected with the Railways e.g. catering and vending contractors, Out Agency contractors, handling contractors, engineering contractors, Rail Travellers’ Service Agents and State/Central Government Servant etc. are debarred from the membership of the Railway Users’ Consultative Committees and the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council.

14.      The Minister for Railways presides at the meeting of the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council and in his absence, the Minister of State for Railways acts as Chairman.  The  Director Traffic Commercial (General), Railway Board is the Secretary of the Council.

15.      The appointment to the Committees under these rules or to the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council is for a period not exceeding two years.  The tenure of Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committees, Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee and National Railway Users’ Consultative Council will commence in January, April and July respectively and run full term of 2 years from these   months unless otherwise notified.

16.   For purpose of representation of Government of States and Legislatures of States in the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committees established under these rules such representation will be finalized by the State Govt. concerned.

17. The Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee will ordinarily meet once a quarter but not less than three times a year, the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee will meet three times in a year and National Railway Users’ Consultative Council twice a year.

18.       Suburban Railway Users’ Consultative Committee on each of the Central, Western, Southern, Eastern and South Eastern Railways consists of members appointed by the General Manager as under: -

i)          Chief Operating Superintendent         -           Chairman

ii)         Head of Commercial and Engineering Department.

iii)        Dy. General Manager (G)                   -           Secretary

iv)        One representative of the City Corporation or the Municipality where the headquarters of the Railway is located.

v)         If there are any municipalities in the area of the suburban services, one representative each from not more than two municipalities in the area.

vi)        One member from the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee within whose jurisdiction the suburban sections fall (to be elected).

vii)  One representative from the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee  (to be elected).

viii)      Four representatives of Associations of Suburban Passengers on Central and Western Railways and two representatives on other Railways.

ix)        One nominee of the General Manager, who must be a lady member preferably from the Parliament or the local State Legislature; if no lady member is in the Committee under items 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this paragraph.

x)       In  addition, four members in each committee is nominated

          by Minister of Railways under category of Special Interest.

xi)   One Member of Parliament to be nominated by Ministry of              Parliamentary Affairs will be intimated to the Ministry of Railways.

The tenure of the Suburban Railway Users’ Consultative Committees is for two calendar years unless otherwise notified.  The frequency of meetings will be as necessitated by the exigencies of work and as may be decided upon by the Chairman of Committee.

19. Station Consultative Committees are set up at every Zonal and Divisional Headquarters and also at selected stations serving important Industrial and Commercial centers.  The Committee consists of representative of Chambers of Commerce, local Trade and Industry, registered Passengers’ Associations, local educational institutions, local self-Govt. bodies and general public.  The membership of the Committee should, however, not exceed 10.

19.1  The choice of the Industrial/Commercial centers where such    Committees are to be set up together with their functions and    composition has been left to the discretion of the General Manager of the Railway who will consult the appropriate DRUCC.

19.2   The tenure of the Station Consultative Committee is for two calendar   years unless otherwise notified and meetings should be convened every four months at least.

20.  Non-official Members of these Railway Users’ Consultative  Committees  and the National Railway Users’ Consultative Council other than MPs & MLAs, when attending meetings of the Committees or the Council or Sub-Committees of these bodies will be afforded reasonable facilities for travel and travelling allowance.

  Requests from the Members of Railway Users’ Consultative Committees for issue of Passes from the Railway Station nearest to members ‘temporary’ residence, whether for attending meetings of a Committee or for any other work of the Committee, may be considered on merits and passes issued with the personal approval of the General Manager for Committees functioning at the Zonal level and by Divisional Managers for Committees at the Divisional level.

 

  The non-official members of the Station Consultative Committees are not entitled to any free passes, TA, DA etc.  However, the non-official Members of these Committees will be paid a daily allowance of Rs.35/- (Thirty five) per member to cover their out pocket expenses in connection with formal meetings attended by them.

******