New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): Congress leader Manickam Tagore on Wednesday criticised the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for allowing the Railway Board to rehire retired non-gazetted staff on a 'volunteer' basis stating that while crores of people apply for jobs every year while only a fraction of vacancies are available.

'Why is the Railway Board rehiring retired staff as 'volunteers' when 3.3 lakh posts remain vacant in Indian Railways? Is this your idea of Yuva Shakti?' the Congress leader said in a post on X, addressing the Union Minister.

https://x.com/manickamtagore/status/1937692350404555007

According to data posted by Tagore, from 2023 there are more than 3,32,000 vacant staff positions with only 11.75 lakh positions being filled compared to the sanctioned strength of 15.07 lakh people.

'Lakhs of youth are preparing for jobs. Instead of recruiting them, you're appointing retirees on contract? Over 1.25 crore candidates applied for just 35,000 Group D jobs in 2022. This is the desperation and hope of India's unemployed youth. Your ministry's June 20 circular kills that hope,' he said.

Tagore highlighted that while this move doesn't solve the staffing crunch faced by the Railways, it instead sends a message to young job seekers that retired staff is more needed, very little fresh recruitment happens due to no exams, and that people will not get compensated fairly as they work as 'volunteers.'

'When will Railway recruit for the 3.3 lakh vacancies? Why has the recruitment process been delayed for years? Why betray youth who've spent years preparing? Roll back this order. Announce fresh Railway recruitment. Restore faith in public sector employment,' his post read.

The Railway Board issued an order on June 20 empowering Divisional Railway officers to re-hire non gazetted railway staff who had retired between the Pay Level-1 to Pay Level 9 against the vacant post while still having the same pay the person had during his employment tenure.

the Railway Board's order read, 'It has now been decided that vacant non-gazetted posts in Pay Level-1 to Level 9 may be filled by re-engagement of retired employees by calling volunteers who retired from posts in the same cadre / category up to three Level higher than the post against which re-engagement is being considered subject to the condition that the volunteers retired from the same Pay Level and found suitable will be given preference over those retired from higher Pay Level.' (ANI)