Railway thinks all CVC officers & the CVC himself to be fools to have raised such an objection!

Rail Neer Scam has its root in demand and supply logistics

New Catering Policy 2010, Policy’s inherent defects for utilisation of RailNeer?

Minister has, pressurized Railway Board Secretary Branch officers through CRB?

When production of RailNeer was less than Demand, How that commodity can be Mandatory?

It means that DOP&T O.M.s and CVC O.M.s and Circulars are not applicable to Ministry of Railways?

Does any CCM office is open in night to give prior permission to use other approved Brands of PDW?

Railway Licensees never refused any delivery of Rail Neer, Who is responsible for short supply?

Suresh Prabhu has become most arrogant in this case like he is Maharaja of the Kingdom of Rlys!

– Suresh Tripathi

Rail-Neer Scam has its root in demand and supply logistics. On Northern Railway there was demand of 5crore RailNeer Bottles per year on its mandatory locations, but RailNeer production of IRCTC Nangloi plant was about 3.6 crore Bottles. As per Agreement of IRCTC and Licensees in 2006, whenever there is short supply of RailNeer by IRCTC, Railway licensees can supply other approved Brands of Package Drinking Water (PDW) of its own (no specific permission was required).

This Agreement remained valid upto January 2014 or till new Contracts were finalised. As per new Agreement Clause 3.1.4 – RailNeer became mandatory on Rajdhani/Shatabdi Express and other Premium Trains, other brands can be served in case of short supply of RailNeer but with prior permission of CCM. Hence Zonal Railways came in picture after January 2014 onwards with New Catering Contracts, otherwise RailNeer production, distribution and its utilisation was internal affairs of IRCTC and its customers including Premium Train Licencees. IRCTC had given separate Tenders to transport and delivery of RailNeer from Nangloi plant to its customers at serving places.

1. New Catering Policy 2010, Policy’s inherent defects for utilisation of RailNeer? When production of RailNeer was less than Demand, How that commodity can be Mandatory? That too expect Licensees to get permission from Zonal CCM for Shatabdi Trains departing in early in the morning at 5.50 to 7:50 AM onwards. IRCTC’s contractor used to supply RailNeer to Licensees at station about 1-2 hrs before departure of Trains. Does any Zonal CCM office is open in night to give prior permission to use other approved Brands of PDW (Package drinking Water), if there was short supply of RailNeer? Moreover after CBI raids in August 2014, RailNeer supply was made mandatory on Train, IRCTC immediately surrendered and got permission from Railway Board to close many Station’s supply of RailNeer in Northern Railway. Even reduced RailNeer supply to Parliament of India.

2. IRCTC was well aware about total requirements of different Trains but their Contractor never picked up that much RailNeer from factory of RailNeer? Railway Licensees never ever refused any delivery Challan of RailNeer at Station ( RTI information). Who is responsible for Short Supply of RailNeer on Trains?

3. Since IRCTC 2006 Agreement to October 2014, RailNeer Bills were passed as PDW @ Rs.12 and @ Rs.15 per Bottle along with other items of Food package. Bills were always passed at level of Assistant Officers of Commercial and Finance Department on basis of verification of number of passenger by Train Supridendent . From official records, it can not be verified number of RailNeer or non RailNeer PDW used in Trains. Such bills file never put up to Head of Department (CCM-Ctg) who is only accused in RailNeer Scam.

4. Railneer production and utilisation of 2013-14 of Nangloi Plant during M.S.Chalia’s tenure was ever best in India (103%). A. K. Jain’s letters to Chief Commercial Manager, Northern Railway are contradictory to records of IRCTC’s Nangloi plant production and despatch of RailNeer.

5. IRCTC’s complaint of non utilisation of RailNeer by CCM was in August 2014, followed by CBI raids on various Trains was not of M. S. Chalia’s tenure who was transferred in May 2014. It was only presumed case against him, reasons best known to Suresh Prabhu.

6. CBI RailNeer case is based on difference of total payments made by Northern Railway and Total payment received by IRCTC. Sales of other approved Brands due to short production /Supply of RailNeer were illegal without prior permission of CCM/NR, for which CCM/Ctg. M. S. Chalia and Sandeep Silas are responsible from January 2013 to December 2014.

Minister has, pressurized Railway Board Secretary Branch officers, through Chairman, Railway Board (by sending regular Joint Secretary Establishment on forced leave, so that handpicked ‘looking after charge’ officer could sign a wrong prosecution sanction for immediate issue to CBI, to start the Court proceedings and trial against both officers). The regular Jt. Secretary Establishment was well aware of the rules that in such disagreement cases, the file has to be sent to DOP&T as per DOP&T’ O.M. No. 119/16/2014-AVD-iii (pt) dated 5th February 2016, which reads as follows..

“…all the disagreement cases of officers of Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) and above of the Ministry of Railways with Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) where the Disciplinary Authority is the President are required to be referred to the Prime Minister regardless of date (even if they have occurred before 18.01.2010”

This DOP&T O.M. uses the words “all the disagreement cases”, NOT as Railway Board has inferred in its 19th May 2017 letter to CVC, that disagreement only means to occur when CVC enhances punishment imposed by Competent Authority or recommends punishment, then only the case should be referred to DOP&T; and in case CVC recommends that “no case is made out” or exonerates an employee, then in the understanding of Railways it is not a disagreement, hence need not be sent to DOP&T.

PERVERTED understanding of rules to suit Minister.

It also infers that Railway thinks all CVC officers and the CVC himself to be fools to have raised such an objection!

It also means that DOP&T O.Ms. and CVC O.Ms. and Circulars are not applicable to Ministry of Railways and it is independent of Indian Government while the fact is that CVC and DOP&T’ cover all line-Ministries and have to honoured and implemented by all. Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu has become most arrogant in this case like he is Maharaja of the Kingdom of Railways!