Study Note On
Border Roads Organisation
The Committee met at 4.00 p.m on 4th June 2007 at Gangtok in Sikkim to discuss \\ith the representatives of the Mlo Defence and the Border Roads Organisation, the Border Roads Engineering Service Recruitment Rules,1988 and Border Roads Medical Officer (Group-A) Recruitment Rules, 2003. The following were present.
1. Shri Harcharanjit Singh Secretary, BRDB
2. Lt Gen K.S Rao, PVSM, SC, S.M DGBR
3. Brig M.S.Pillai
Chief Engineer Project Dantak
4. Brig K.T.Gajaria DDG (Pers)
5. Shri George P.Cherian Senior Engineer
6. Shri S.Suresh Kumar Deputy Director HQ DGBR
At the outset, the D.G Border Roads Organisation, Lt General K.S. Rao gave a brief presentation on the Border Organisation, its work culture, ethos and feats achieved by it. In this regard Shri Rao stated that Border Roads Organisation has been carrying out its projects/construction work successfully not only at national but also at international leyel and had eamed reputation for that. One of the main feature of Border Roads Organisation's working was that instead of completing projects through contracts, it relied solely on its internal resources be it men or machinery. Only daily wage/Casual Labour are hired from outside from amongst local people for assistance.
The Committee enquired whether there was a compendium of rules/regulations governing Border Roads Organisation. The Secretary BRDB stated that rules were framed from time to time in this regard but no comprehensive legislation was in place. The Committee obsen'ed that a comprehensive legislation \,,'as due to be framed by the Ministry of Defence under articles 309 of the constitution but only ad-hocism existed in this respect. Long time has lapsed since then and due attention was not paid by the ministry towards the need of the Organisation to strengthen it with the full fledged legislation particularly where the matter was connected with defence of the country. The Committee desired the Ministry to come out with proper subordinate legislation for Border Roads Organisation which had earned reputation for its work both at national and international level and had been working strategically as well.
The Committee next desired to know whether rules/regulation concerning Border Roads Organisation had been laid on the table of both the houses of Parliament and on what date. The Secn~tall' BRDB was not SUl"e about it.
The Committee noted that the record management of the ministry was not up to date and directed that the Ministry should inform the Committee about laying of rules with regard to Border Roads Organisation at the earliest. The Committee also stated that Ministry had been asked a number of times to put up rules of the Defence Ministry on their website but no initiative was taken in this regard. The Committee suggested that prompt action may be taken to put up the rules of the Ministry on their website.
The Committee further enquired about the service conditions in Border Roads Organisation like promotion/deputation/leavelhousing facilities, cadre review etc.
The Committees, noted that employees of GREF were subject to Army Act, 1950 (as applicable to Army personnel/officers) but they were neither considered at par with Alomy nOlO as a civilian. The pay scale sanctioned in 5th CPC has not been allowed to Diploma Engineers of BRO. Up to 4th Central Pay Commission, there was no difference in pay scales of Diploma Engineers of BRO with respect to other similar Central Government Department like CPWD, Military Engineering Services and Railways. But, in the BRO, at the time of implementation of 5th Pay Commission, Diploma Engineers were put in lower scale. whereas officers of BRO and subordinates of other category were enjoying the same pay scales as recommended by 5th CPC and accepted by all Central Government Departments.
The Committee expressed the view that members of GREF were part and par"cel of the Armed Forces and they should not be discriminated against Extra Regimental Employment officer"s/staff since they were wod
The Committee was informed that the existing policies regarding promotion in BRO are in consonance with other engineering department like CPWD, MES etc. While civil Engineering Cadre officers can rise upto the post of Additional Director General. the Electrical & Mechanical Engineering officers can rise upto the posts of Chief Engineer. Cadre Review of various cadres was being undertaken for enhancing promotional avenues.
GREF units ar"e deployed in extr"eme bor"der, difficult ten"ain, r"emote and hazardous climatic conditions wher"e per"Sonnel are dependent on the local civil hospital, primar1' health clinic and GREF/MI room. Most of the hospitals located in these areas have insufficient medical staff, medicine, specialized treatment and other facilities and many GREF per"Sonnel have died due to lack of these facilities.
Therefore, the Committee suggested that GREF hospital with complete facilities may be established at least one to each Task Force Headquarters level so that better medical facilities may be ensured to the members of force as in the case of CRPF, BSF, ITBP. ARMY, AIR Force, etc.
Army personnel are entitled for insurgency allowances when they are posted in insurgency affected areas, whereas the GREF persons are not authorized for the allowances even when both uniformed forces are working together at the same place.
In case of GREF personnel availing regimental Quarter facility, his HRA is being recovered from his pay & allowances by PAO officer whereas, Army personnel living with family at unit regimental quarter are also availing/enjoying quarter facility and also claiming cash in lieu of Quarter.
The Committee suggested that grievances of GREF personnel may be attended to properly by the Ministry of Defence and their service conditions may be r"estmctur"ed/r"evised so as to alienate any feeling of discl"imination and step mothel"ly tr"eatment from their" minds and give them moml boost.
Energy Rules,
17-08-09
(2 hrs 40 minutes)
28-10-09 (2 hrs)
(iv) Supersession of Cigarette and other tobacco products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2006 by Packaging and Labeling Rules, 2008
(v) Oral Evidence of the Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Executive Director, Oil Safety Directorate, Director-General, Directorate of Mines Safety and CMDs of ONGC and Oil regarding the Petroleum and Gas (Safety 111 Offshore Operations) Rules, 2008.
(i) Oral evidence of the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Director-General, Border Roads Organisation and representatives of Department of Personnel and Training regarding the Border Roads Engineering's Service Group . A' (Amendment) Rules, 1988.
(ii) Oral evidence of the Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment regarding the
Building and Other
Construction Workers
(Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Central Rules, 1998.
(i) Oral evidence of the Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs regarding the Haj Committee Rules, 2002.
(ii) Consideration of:
(a) The Lakshadweep Building Development Board (Supply of Building Materials) Bye-Laws, 2003.
(b) The Electricity Rules, 2005. (c) The Electrical Wires,
Cables, Appliances and
Protection Devices and
Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2005.
(d) The Regulation of Quality of Service of Basic and Cellular Mobile Telephone Services, 2005 and
(e) The Atomic
(Radiation Protection) 2004.
The Committee agreed to drop the Cigarette and other tobacco products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2006 and take up fOT considcration the Packaging and Labeling Rules, 2008
The Committee were apprised about the need for bringing these Rules into existence and problems faced in implementing them. A questionnaire was also forwarded to the Ministry for detailed replies.
The Committee noted that there were differences in the facilities enjoyed by General Reserve Engineering Force and Army personnel employed in Border Roads Organisation and the Supreme Court judgment in this connection was not being followed in letter and spirit.
The Committee was informed that while the concerned rules were framed by the Central Government the implementation was done by the respective State governments. The Committee felt tJlat tJle implementation of the rules was filf from sati sfactory.
The Committee requested the Ministry to furnish the updated status in the matter of bringing in a new legislation of the subject and also furnish their replies to the questionnaire and representation of the people's representatives.
The Committee adopted the following memoranda and decided to take up on priority basis the Electricity Rules, 2005, The Regulation of Quality of Service of Basic and Cellular Mobile Telephone Services, 2005 and the Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules, 2004.
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