Lok Sabha Question No. 464 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-05
Subject: Loss to Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ganesan Selvam, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Dhanush M Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 464 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.02.2020

## LOSS TO RAILWAYS

464.     SHRI SELVAM G.: DR. HEENA GAVIT: SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has information that corruption is rampant at all levels and various services of Railways during the last three years;
- (b) if so, the number of corruption cases registered in different railway zones during the above said period and the action taken on each case;
- (c) the estimated loss to the Railways due to corruption during this period;
- (d) the reasons for not able to eradicate corruption allegedly prevailing in the railways;
- (e) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  railways corruption  free  and  to  ensure  that  passengers  get  those  facilities  which they are entitled to; and
- (f) whether the Government has any plan to make Indian Railways as an ideal department  by  taking  zero  tolerance  on  corruption  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (f):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  464  BY  SHRI  SELVAM  G.,  DR.  HEENA  GAVIT  AND    SHRI DHANUSH  M.  KUMAR  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  05.02.2020 REGARDING LOSS TO RAILWAYS

(a) &  (b)  No,  Sir.  Corruption  is  not  rampant  in  the  Railway  organisation. Vigilance misconduct involving departmental irregularities are dealt firmly by Vigilance  branch  of  railways  and  criminal  misconducts  involving  corruption charges are dealt by CBI duly assisted by railway's departmental vigilance.

As  a  result  of  preventive  checks,  decoy  checks  and  investigations  of complaints  involving  cases  of  irregularities  including  suspected  corruption, officials are taken up under the Railway Servants (Discipline & Appeal) Rules 1968,  and  those  found  responsible  are  imposed  punishment  commensurate with  the  gravity  of  their  misconduct(s).  Zone-wise  details  of  officials  taken up/cases  registered  owing  to  vigilance  investigations  as  well  as  action taken/penalty imposed during last 3 years are as given below:

| Zonal Railways     |   No. of officials against whom cases of disciplinary proceedings initiated |   No. of officials against whom cases of disciplinary proceedings initiated |   No. of officials against whom cases of disciplinary proceedings initiated |   No. of officials against whom action taken/ penalty imposed |   No. of officials against whom action taken/ penalty imposed |   No. of officials against whom action taken/ penalty imposed |
|--------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|                    |                                                                        2017 |                                                                        2018 |                                                                        2019 |                                                          2017 |                                                          2018 |                                                          2019 |
| Central            |                                                                         592 |                                                                         393 |                                                                         294 |                                                           505 |                                                           236 |                                                           408 |
| Eastern            |                                                                         206 |                                                                         195 |                                                                         201 |                                                           232 |                                                           166 |                                                           221 |
| East Central       |                                                                         500 |                                                                         289 |                                                                         314 |                                                           381 |                                                           324 |                                                           335 |
| East Coast         |                                                                         287 |                                                                         201 |                                                                         148 |                                                           117 |                                                           133 |                                                           104 |
| Northern           |                                                                        1701 |                                                                        1569 |                                                                        1598 |                                                          1422 |                                                          1873 |                                                          2007 |
| North Central      |                                                                         198 |                                                                         159 |                                                                         273 |                                                           210 |                                                           150 |                                                           215 |
| North Eastern      |                                                                         482 |                                                                         449 |                                                                         480 |                                                           488 |                                                           292 |                                                           439 |
| Northeast Frontier |                                                                         345 |                                                                         464 |                                                                         239 |                                                           258 |                                                           284 |                                                           132 |
| North Western      |                                                                         184 |                                                                         134 |                                                                         218 |                                                           164 |                                                            99 |                                                           147 |
| Southern           |                                                                         679 |                                                                         444 |                                                                         486 |                                                           714 |                                                           558 |                                                           564 |
| South Central      |                                                                         299 |                                                                         152 |                                                                         174 |                                                           295 |                                                           202 |                                                           183 |
| South Eastern      |                                                                         213 |                                                                         198 |                                                                          98 |                                                           146 |                                                           242 |                                                           174 |
| South East Central |                                                                         223 |                                                                         211 |                                                                         221 |                                                           160 |                                                           156 |                                                           195 |
| South Western      |                                                                         240 |                                                                         258 |                                                                         414 |                                                           265 |                                                           151 |                                                           258 |
| Western            |                                                                         548 |                                                                         400 |                                                                         438 |                                                           431 |                                                           386 |                                                           336 |
| West Central       |                                                                         124 |                                                                         140 |                                                                         218 |                                                           100 |                                                            92 |                                                            84 |
| Total              |                                                                        6821 |                                                                        5656 |                                                                        5814 |                                                          5888 |                                                          5344 |                                                          5802 |

- (c) Loss to the Railways, if any, cannot be quantified.
- (d)  &  (e)  The  eradication  of  corruption  is  the  key  focus  area  of  Indian Railways.  Railways  have  well  established  systems,  rules  and  procedures which  guide  its  various  functions.  The  Railways  also  have  a  vigilance organization, spread over the entire railway system which conducts preventive,  decoy  and  surprise  checks.  It  also  investigates  complaints  of corruption received. If any irregularity is detected, suitable disciplinary action is taken, depending upon the gravity of the charges and in consultation with the Central Vigilance Commission for cases involving Group 'A' officers.

Corrective measures for system improvement and increasing transparency  are  taken  regularly.  Some  of  the  recent  initiatives  include  etendering, e-Tender finalization, e-Works contract management, procurements through  e-tendering,  e-auctions,  changes  in  Tatkal  reservation  processes, registering of indents through Freight Operations Information System (FOIS), on  line  allotment  of  rakes,  etc.  Regular  training  and  seminars  are  also organized to educate the officials and enhance their knowledge and awareness.

- (f)        Railway  is  already  on  the  move  towards  achieving  goal  of  ideal department. Transparency has been introduced in major thrust areas. Steps have  been  taken  for  simplification  and  standardization  of  rules,  leveraging technology, automation, Business Process Re-engineering (BPR), accountability,  control  &  supervision,  early  detection  of  misconducts,  timebound  and  effective  punitive action, providing necessary  infrastructural facilities,  training  &  awareness,  conducive  work  environment,  awareness among public etc.  All  kinds  of  corruption  cases  are  dealt  strictly  with  Zero tolerance  as  per  existing  guidelines  with  ultimate  objective  to  eradicate corruption from Railways.

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