With 80,000 women workforce, Railways engages more women than combined population of Liechtenstein & Monaco

Chairman Vinay Mittal during a RWWCO function

SAMPLE these statistics first: The number of women employees that Indian Railways employs is more than the combined population of two tiny European nations, Liechtenstein and Monaco. Yes, Indian Railways has 80,000 women employees engaged in various arms of this vast organisation with a workforce of 14 lakhs. As hundreds of women railway employees gathered last week to witness Aaj Rang Hai, a musical play revolved around baithak singer…
Beni who deals with communal discord and love affairs in her tiny village, it was Railway Board chairman Vinay Mittal who hogged the limelight for inspiring the railway women employees. Mittal went all out to praise the IR women for what he called an outstanding performance of women workforce. The occasion was the Golden Jubilee celebration of Railway Women’s Welfare Central Organization (RWWCO) in which 35 outstanding women employees were honoured. The prizes were given away by Madhu Bansal, wife of railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.
The idea of honouring women employees, mainly Group C and D employees, is to boost the morale of those who show exemplary dedication, integrity and courage while discharging their duties.
Among the railway officers, most women officers belong to Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS). The IRAS is so much dominated by women officers that it is jokingly called SARI cadre, which is the reverse of the abbreviation – IRAS. The first lady IRAS officer was Priya Prakash of 1957 batch, and the first woman IRAS to become financial commissioner in Indian Railways was Vijayalakshmi Viswanathan.

Action and Appointments
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension of Central deputation tenure of Ms Namita Mehrotra, a 1991 batch IRAS officer and director in Planning Commission for a period up to November 15, 2013.