\"\ 1\ 1.I Md I';': \. I) \: ~ i'j i) \:\ lU\JY/' S;\l"l!

l\ ~;!;lJI.l:\,\i(l.\j
"l' Jd~ I ')1 i,'\ l
l
!t:\I." \',Ctl l .

)' . I ." : I) I 1I )
(' II Iii

,')-( IP)!Jnn7 -
~)~S.f\-CO~IlL

H,,:.. I!l'l' ~to:lli s li:lI\.'.iill"·! t'l\~. :~Cl 'Vil: {: Hc.cruil lllcllt ltllks, ~ ')l!1i aJ:d
Bonkt' I.t oau:- {\ ';etli":d onicl'l'~; tC10llll A) \(I'l:l".lil\1\I ·l\1

l~u!t.:)l 2mL', K ..• alllih:dioll \:y Co:·;~ ..

Thc ,;",krjgHed i, di,odd "l ro,w,,,.i Ire"'";''' Ihr r,I,'"d:; i"n" Ih' .I"dy HHl, ,c~",ding Urc eli,;c""in,"
, Ik H: """ '"I,,,i "", "r Ih,' 'l, Ii ,,':;1, l' d Ddcnce "ud the o,liw' 0' [\or,I",' 1'0",1,
0' iI,e l .. ' " " ,'ue . w II,
I ,,,,,,,'i,,,'iv, "t GanglO" 0" 'I';' J.'HC. llllJ I ,,"

the rules referred above.

The lYli!lislry of Defellct: tUep,'.rll J '< Jll o r! I C1'<.:11 CI : ) an; [herd'ure, 1-.;,\\,.c~' h.:lI \ll \(;t
"U,i, Scae,,,,iat knoW lhc aclio" ,,,lceH hy ll",,' iH the I"',hl 0 r lh<o ,,"HYC', ,h""u,ri '''''',H 'Ire
'..:arliest fur being placed bef(')fCtY:'; C01nmi:t~{~;r-~ ~;\sal'-': '-" .
Annex to OM 0.5(10)/2007- RS-Com.I dt 23 Nov 2007 //copy//

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.

6. Shri Harcharanjit Singh

Secretary, BRDB

7. Lt Gen K.S Rao, PVSM, SC, S.M DGBR

8. Brig M.S.Pillai
Chief Engineer Project Dantak

9. Brig K.T.Gajaria DDG

(Pers)

10. Shri George P.Cherian Senior

Engineer

11. Shri S.Suresh Kumar Deputy

Director HQ DGBR
I.
t'!\ .. ~.
\.' \ .... /\ ~/' \ -,
\ .. , .. . ., . . \ ,\ ' '\
' .
 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<ing shoulder" to shoulder" and doing same natur"e of jobs in
GREF in ter-ms of the golden principal of 'Equal pay for equal wor"k'

It has also come to the notice of the Committee that vacancies earmarked for GREF
employees are filled by Army personnel. Army personnel are getting regular promotions whereas
GREF subordinates are deprived of regular promotions.

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.
 Ministry of Defence, Director-General, tJle implementation of the rules was filf from sati sfactory.
Border Roads Organisation and
representatives of Department of
Personnel and Training regarding the The Committee requested the Ministry to furnish the updated status
Border Roads Engineering's Service in the matter of bringing in a new legislation of the subject and also
Group . A' (Amendment) Rules, 1988. furnish their replies to the questionnaire and representation of the
people's representatives.
(ii) Oral evidence of the Secretary,
Ministry of Labour and Employment The Committee adopted the following memoranda and decided to
regarding the take up on priority basis the Electricity Rules, 2005, The
Building and Other Regulation of Quality of Service of Basic and Cellular Mobile
Construction Workers Telephone Services, 2005 and the Atomic Energy (Radiation
(Regulation of Employment and Protection) Rules, 2004.
Conditions of Service) Central Rules,
1998.
(i) Oral evidence of the Secretary,
17-08-09 Ministry of External Affairs regarding the
(2 hrs 40 Haj Committee Rules, 2002.
minutes)

(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
28-10-09 (2 (Radiation Protection) 2004.
hrs) The Committee agreed to drop the
(iv) Supersession Cigarette and other tobacco products
of Cigarette and (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2006
other tobacco and take up fOT considcration the
products Packaging and Labeling Rules, 2008
(Packaging and
Labeling) Rules,
2006 by The Committee were apprised about the
Packaging and need for bringing these Rules into
Labeling Rules, existence and problems faced in
2008 implementing them. A questionnaire was
also forwarded to the Ministry for
(v) Oral detailed replies.
Evidence of the
Secretary,
Ministry of
Petroleum and
Natural Gas,
Executive
Director, Oil The Committee noted that there were
Safety differences in the facilities
Directorate, enjoyed by General Energy Reserve
Director- Engineering Force Rules, and
General, Army personnel
Directorate of employed in Border Roads Organisation
Mines Safety and the Supreme Court judgment in this
and CMDs of connection was not being followed in
ONGC and Oil letter and spirit.
regarding the
Petroleum and
Gas (Safety 111
Offshore
Operations) The Committee was informed that while
Rules, 2008. the concerned rules were framed by the
(i) Oral evidence Central Government the implementation
of the Additional was done by the respective State
Secretary, governments. The Committee felt tJlat