152 
CHAPTER IX. 
March 1930, 465,000 or 56%, in connection with state-managed railways 
and 354,000 on other lines. The following statement gives figures 
of those in receipt (1) of less than Rs. 20 per month and (2) of Rs. 20 or 
more and also shows the numbers of subscribers to the State Railway 
Provident Fund and other Railway Provident Funds on 3lst March 
1930) + 
Railwavs. 
State .. 
Others ae 
Totals .. 
12 ClassI .. | 
Rest e 
All-India Railway employees. 
Provident Fund subscribers, 
.n receipt 
of less 
than 
Rs. 20 | 
p. Mm. 
In receipt 
of Rs. 20 
p.m. 
Or more. 
Total. 
{n receipt 
of less 
than 
Rs. 20 
D. ML. 
In receipt 
of Rs. 20 
p.m. . 
or more. 
Total. 
240,011 
207.054 
225,445 
146.548 
465,456 
353 602 
2,109 
9.308 
138,593 
105,197 
140,702 
114.505 
47.065 
271.993 
R19.058 
11.417 
243.790 
955 907 
108,113 
a8 052 
350,796 
21.19% 
158,909 | 10,797 | 230,149 
60.149 620 | 13.641 
240,946 
14.961 
This analysis shows that only 319, of railway employees actually sub- 
scribe to provident funds and that, while 65%, of employees in re- 
ceipt of Rs. 20 per month or more are subscribers, not 3%, of those 
drawing less than Rs. 20 monthly are members. No provision is made 
for workers drawing less than Rs. 15 monthiy to join any of the provi- 
dent funds. 
Under the State Railway Provident Fund Rules, workshop and 
shed employees are eligible for membership only if they are entitled 
to a month’s notice of termination of service and have completed 
three years” continuous service. All other permanent non-pension- 
able employees, excluding menials, are eligible to subscribe to 
the Fund, provided their pay amounts to Rs. 15 per month. No 
menial servant is allowed to subscribe to the State Railway Provident 
Fund on any terms. Different interpretations of the term menial are 
found on different railways. Generally it is applied to the lower paid 
employees, who are more favourably treated as regards provident fund 
facilities on company-managed lines. On the latter lines all members 
of the staff, except daily-rated employees, are treated very much alike, and 
are usually eligible for membership if they receive not less than Rs. 15 
monthly. We recognise the difficulties in the way of low paid employees 
subscribing to a provident fund, but we feel existing conditions no longer 
warrant the distinctions drawn against menials and daily-rated workers. 
We therefore recommend that, on completion of one year’s continuous 
service, all employees should be eligible to join a provident fund, member- 
ship being ovtional for those whose emoluments are less than. Rs. 20