ABOUT US
The All India Retired Railwaymen's Federation has been established in the year 1959 by RAO SAHEB V.R. GHULE Retired Divisional Commercial Superintendent , Central Railway and got the same registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 190 on 21.09.1961 with its Headquarters at MULLUND (BOMBAY). The immediate reason for the formation of the AIRRF was the demand for grant of ex-gratia to retirees who have not opted for pension which was offered by the Government for Railway employees for the first time in 1957. This issue was ultimately settled with the intervention of the Supreme Court granting Ex-gratia to PF retirees, which is being continued till date.
After the demise of Rao Saheb Ghule, Sri K.G.TUNGAR Retired Head Clerk of COPS Office, Central Railway who was closely associated with Rao Saheb took over as President. The Headquarters was then shifted to PUNE. He was instrumental in securing benefits for Ex-gratia retirees as well as to pensioners who faced much difficulty in getting the pensions sanctioned by the authorities and also the amount of pension was quite meager. The Federation has been successful in getting the pension amount increased with 30 years limit to 30/ 80 and 33/66 and as we all know it has improved to fifty percent of pay for service above ten years as of now.
Sri N.G. GOTHWAL Retired DSO succeeded Sri K.G. Tungar with Sri M. S. Hinge, Retired Personnel Inspector as General Secretary. Later SRI R.B. KULKARNI, Retired SPO of Central Railway was elected as President in in 1992 and set up Head quarters at DOMBIVILI (Kalyan) and since passed on the mantle to Sri Y.N. SASTRY, Retired Chief Controller S.C.Rly Secunderabad in the A.G.M held at Bhuswal in April 2004 with Headquarters at Secunderabad. And ever since then, Sri.Y.N. Sastry continued as a President till his last breathe on 24-9-2021.
On demise Shri Y. N. Sastry, the then President, an emergency Central Executive Committee Meeting in virtual mode was held on 20-10-2021 and in the interest of Organisation, resolved to co-opt Shri Sreedhar, General Secretary as President/AIRRF till the next AGM.
During the 57th AGM and CEC meeting held on 23rd and 24th April 2022, Shri S. Sreedhar, has been elected unanimously as President/AIRRF.
AIRRF was a Standing Committee Member of SCOVA till 2015. AIRRF along with Member, JCM Standing Council and other Federations were omitted for inclusion in SCOVA stating their 'term' was over in the reconstituted SCOVA in 2015..The same was protested by Railway Ministry and Railway Board urged the Pension Ministry vide its letter no.E(W)2015/PA-1/5 dated 27.1.2016 & 08.02.2016 to include AIRRF in SCOVA as permanent Member as “All India Retired Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRRF) is the largest major Federation having membership of more than 5.0 lakh pensioners throughout the country. Keeping all aspects in view, it does not appear to be just and proper to keep AIRRF out of SCOVA”.
The Federation is having one official organ, Railway Federation News, a bimonthly with 2000 subscribers including large number of Life Members. The Magazine is a registered with Registrar of News Papers for India and is running since 19 years.
The successful activities of the Federation attracted the affiliations of Pensioners Associations all over India which begun sprouting up here, there and everywhere taking the figure upto over 330 with 5.5 million membership making the AIRRF biggest organization duly getting due acknowledgement from the Railway.
Supreme Court Judgment of Nakara Vs Union Government in 1982 has become the Magna Carta for pensioners, and the Government was forced to revise its outlook towards pensioners and significantly the IV, V, V, VII Pay Commissions have also projected their recommendations very much within the frame work of the principles enunciated in this Judgment.
One of its important achievements is the constitution of a One Memorandum Drafting Committee of Sixteen Central Government Pensioners Organizations in India and the Common Memorandum was submitted to VI CPC which was finalized in AIRRF Office of Secunderabad in December 2005. All India Retired Railwaymen's Federation is the first Federation responded to the questionnaire of VII CPC and submitted a detailed Memorandum to the VII CPC. A delegation of All India Retired Railwaymen's Federation (AIRRF) led by Sri Y.N. Sastry, President, AIRRF met Hon.ble Justice Sri A.K. Mathur, Chairman, Seventh Central Pay Commission on 20-11-2014 in Administrative Staff College, Hyderabad where the Commission was camping and explained in detail the demands of Pensioners with regard to Pension, and other benefits like medical, educational facilities etc. The Federation also demanded improvement of medical facilities in Railway Hospitals including appointment of specialists and removal of ban on private practice so as to attract experts in the field to join Railway Hospitals.
AIRRF advocates that the pensioners like employees have several valid reasons for dissatisfaction not the least of them being that many genuine and justified requirement s continue to be overlooked for one reason or the other. The AIRRF seeks the co-operation of all the Pensioners. Trade Unions / Associations as well as Railway Administration at all levels in delivering justice to Pensioners & Family Pensioners. It established a great rapport with both the recognized Federations in Railways, NFIR and AIRF.
Through negotiations, correspondence and meetings with important Officers of the various Banks, AIRRF could secure very good results and many circulars that are being issued by Reserve Bank of India are published in our Magazine to help and to give good guidance for the pensioners problems, specially the simplification for the pension sanctioning process, the process of issuing life certificate and the opening of joint accounts etc.
AlRRF Office Bearers attend Pension Adalats in all the Divisions and Zones and help the pensioners to get their grievances redressed. The pending grievances are being pursued by the AIRRF at all levels without any let up.
AIRRF plays a great role in helping the pensioners, family pensioners and their family members including dependents to get medical facilities without any hassles Railway Hospitals and Referral Hospitals.
Many of AIRRF affiliates and its leaders are doing great service to the society in addition of rendering assistance to the pensioners. Sri Y.N.Sastrty, President spends a lot of his time and energy for the under privileged children who are studying in Railway Colony High School, Chilakaguda, Secunderabad. Likewise Sri.K.V.Ramana Rao, Working President, doing several activities including establishment of Indira Gandhi High School Vaidika Parishat etc., in Khargpur. Sri.K.V.Ramana Rao, Kakinada Zone President, started Railway Pensioners Trust to look after the needs of the pensioners who die in distress. Sri S.Gurubaksh Singh Oberai of Noida makes several charities to the institutions with service motto. There are many, many affiliates and branches raising to the occasion for helping the victims in the event of national calamities, extending hand to the hapless children and women, doing lot of good for the fellow beings.
Now, the AIRRF to spread goodness all around joined with Indian Development Foundation(IDF) formerly, Indian Leprosy Foundation which is an established national NGO, worked for elimination of leprosy in India having entrusted by Smt. lndira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister for 20 Point Programme. It has the excellent and noble track record of more than 30 years in the humanitarian service in the country. It is recognized by UN for its services towards women empowerment, education and health. Its activities are presently spread through 120 health projects, 195 Bala Gurukuls, 12 women empowerment projects in addition to its regular training of student leadership and youth for employment in its Centre of Excellence, Bangalore.
RECOGNITION TO AIRRF :
The highest number of Pensioners is from the Defence which is about 19.40 lakhs. The next is from Indian Railways 10.18 lakhs, Postal about 1.58 lakhs, Telecom 1.42 lakhs , Civil 5.83 lakhs. Total may be 38.41 lakhs and a little more as of now.
The Fifth Central Pay Commission in Para 141.24 of its report has observed that the number of Associations representing the Pensioners needs to be reduced drastically and a mechanism needs to be evolved to grant some sort of recognition to Pensioner’s Associations who are capable of espousing their cause and thus such of those Associations which are granted recognition may be provided facilities to the extant possible including allotment of Accommodation.
All India Retried Railwaymen's Federation is purely an organisation of Railway Pensioners formed in 1961 spread all over the 17 Zones with about 330 branches having more than 5.5 lakh pensioners as members. AIRRF was a non-rotating member of SCOVA duly recommended by the Railway Board for more than a decade till its reconstitution in 2015. It is in the interest of not only the pensioners / family pensioners, but also for the Railways to grant some sort of recognition to the AIRRF (All India Retired Railwaymen's Federation) by Railway Board extending some facilities as recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission so that the AIRRF with its good net work at Zonal / Divisional / Branch level can reach to many more and serve the Pensioners / Family Pensioners much better and effectively.