Dear friends, “Disable Employees Association of Railway (DEAR)” was formed in August 2014 but it actually started only when some disabled employees of Northern Railway started thinking against the injustice being done by the railway administration in 1998. Then they had a question whether they should form a national level organization of disabled employees working in the Railways or start it by keeping it limited to Northern Railways only and then take it to the All India level. Due to lack of resources and experience, it was decided to form an organization of disabled employees in Northern Railway first, and then an organization on Indian Railways. After the formation of “Northern Railway Physically Handicapped Employees Welfare Association (NRPHEWA)” in Northern Railway, not only the disabled employees of Northern Railway were benefited the many works done by NRPHEWA, but the disabled employees of Indian Railways working all over India were benefited. DEAR was formed in the year 2014 on the success of NRPHEWA in Northern Railway and joining of disabled employees working in other zonal railways. The happiest thing is that this association of Railway employees is working equally for all types of disabled employees. Some of the major works done by the association are as follows: –

1. The provision of income tax has been changed on the request of the NRPHEWA according to PWD Act-1995, before that disabled employees with more than 50% disability were exempted from income tax,
2. The first case of giving 3% reservation in the posts to be filled by direct recruitment was also put in the CCPD court by the NRPHEWA against Railway where 3% posts were stayed by the CCPD, but at the same time some disabled people organization has been filed same case in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court then due lack of funds, the case was not fought in the Delhi High Court by NRPHEWA,
3. The rule of 3% “Reservation in Promotion” has been implemented after the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Northern Railway, the credit for this also goes to NRPHEWA. Now the fight is being fought through DEAR that this rule should be implemented in all Indian Railways as soon as possible, in this context, notice has been issued to Railway Board by Hon’ble CAT.
4. Work was done to implement the rule of posting disabled employees near their native place.
5. On the request of the association, the railway administration provided the high-tech artificial aids and appliances, special software etc. to the disabled employees and established high-tech “Artificial Limb Center” in Northern Railway Delhi.
6. In the report of the Sixth Pay Commission (effective January 2006) a separate chapter for disabled persons was added for the first time only and only by the efforts of NRPHEWA. The following orders were issued by the DOP&T and Ministry of Finance on the basis of the recommendation of 6th CPC. Whose benefits are not only being taken by all the Disabled Railway employees but also disabled employees working in other government departments: –
   1. Transport Allowance for disabled employees has been provisioned to double of the normal transport allowance which is available for general employees. Currently it is minimum Rs. 2250 /-.
   2. There is a provision for reimbursement of education allowance to the disabled child of a railway employee to be double the normal allowance.
   3. All Disabled Railway employees get four extra special casual leave (Special CL) per year.
   4. Provision of “Child Care Allowance” for women employees with disabilities from the birth of child up to the age of 2 years. At present, this allowance is given at the rate of Rs 3000 / – per month which is payable to the first 2 children.
   5. Another major demand of our Association placed before the Sixth Pay Commission was also approved, which has benefited all the Central Government Employees; And that is the change in the plan of the ACP (currently MACP), which the association had demanded that instead of 2, at least 3 financial up gradations should be given throughout the service period, which is a grade of any employee. After the completion of 10 years, (regardless of how long the first or second promotion took place), the next grade should be given immediately.
7. On the request of the association, the Railway Administration is organizing workshops and Leisure Camps for the disabled railway employees every year through Staff Benefit Fund.
8. Apart from this, NRTMA (Northern Railway, Baroda House, New Delhi) also organizes camps of adventure activities / tours etc. for the Disabled Railway employees and their family members working every year. Disabled employees of all zonal railways can participate in such camps.
9. On the demand of the organization, the work of issuing new pass rules was made for disabled employees, in which employees can travel in the same class with companion. The benefit of this rule will also be given to the retired disabled employees and dependents of general employees working in the railways.
10. On the request of NRPHEWA, Railway Administration constitute a grievances redressal cell for disabled employees in Northern Railway, subsequently on the request of DEAR, grievances redressal cell is also being formed in other zonal railways.
11. On the request of this organization, the railway administration has provided aids and appliances, computers and special software to the visually impaired employees in many zonal railways including Northern Railway. Apart from the above mentioned works, several works were done by DEAR / NRPHEWA, whose discussion is not possible here due to the lack of space. Future action plans or demands of DEAR: –
    1. Try to get the Association to be recognized by the Railway Administration, and try to get a place in all the Zonal Railways and Divisions for the offices of the organization.
    2. According to RPWD Act-2016 and RPWD RULES-2017, to make “Equal opportunity policy” and “Disable Employee Register” in all zones.
    3. To implement the rule of “Reservation in Promotion” in all zones of Indian Railways from year 1989 on the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court. Currently it is applicable only in Northern Railway.
    4. All railway offices, stations, reservation counters should be made fully accessible to all types of disabled people.
    5. According to the order of Railway Board, to set up Grievance Redressal Cell for disabled employees in all the zones, divisions and production units of Indian Railways where they have not been established yet. So that there can be assistance in resolving the problems of disabled employees.
    6. To ensure full compliance of the rules for posting disabled employees near their native place.
    7. To provide aids and appliances, computer, special software, equipment and office useful assistive devices with special technology to disabled Railway employees.
    8. According to the rules of the Railway Board, after the appointment of disabled employees and prior to promotion, the rules of training will be followed in all zonal railways. So that, all the Disabled employees can contributes to the development of the railway to its full potential.
    9. To make all the websites of the railway and all the programs designed to computerize the Railways fully accessible to the visually impaired employees so that the visually impaired employees can also do all the work of the Railways easily.
    10. To appoint sign language interpreter in all the offices of HQ of Zonal Railways, Divisions and Production units for the convenience of hearing impaired employees.
    11. For the purpose of identified the posts for disabled people, to constitute committees consisting of Disabled employees so that the work of identifying the posts in Indian Railways can be done properly and appointment of disabled employees to appropriate posts for them.

Apart from this, this organization also makes efforts to implement the guidelines issued by the Government of India and Ministry of Railways from time to time in the interest of disabled employees. Through this organization, in the future, the demands of the Railway administration will be kept for the benefit of all the disabled employees working in the railway and with the help of mutual support and assistance to solve their problems. This organization is committed to taking all the disabled employees working in the Indian Railways together and will continue to work by tying them in one thread, the different types of disorders are truly complementary to each other. Friends, DEAR executive body has not been formed in all the zones and divisions, due to this, our colleagues are facing some problems at some places right now, As soon as the executive body will be formed in those places also, then the association will be able to work more effectively to get all of you diagnosed with those problems. Along with this, I also want to request all of you that if you want to work for your category (Disabled employees), then go ahead and work for this organization and disabled employees by joining various level executive body.