नेशनल रेल एंड ट्रांसपोर्टेशन इंस्टीट्यूट की स्थापना का औचित्य बताए रेल मंत्रालय

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पिछले दिनों “रेलव्हिस्पर्स” ने एक सामान्य सा ट्वीट किया था, जिस पर रेलवे बोर्ड – कार्मिक निदेशालय – ने बड़ी हाय-तौबा मचाई थी। तब हमने रेलवे बोर्ड से कुछ प्रश्न पूछे थे, और यह भी कहा था इन प्रश्नों के सही-सही उत्तर पूरी ईमानदारी के साथ रेल मंत्रालय दे, तथापि आज तक इन प्रश्नों के उत्तर नहीं दिए गए! यह प्रश्न इस प्रकार थे –

1. इस इंस्टीट्यूट अथवा रेल यूनिवर्सिटी को खोलने की प्रेरणा कहां से मिली और क्यों?

2. हर वर्ष शुरुआत से लेकर अब तक इसके लिए कितना-कितना बजट आवंटित हुआ और टोटल?

3. रेलवे स्टाफ कॉलेज की मुफ्त की जमीन बिल्डिंग के खर्चे को जोड़ा जाए तो प्रति छात्र प्रतिवर्ष कितना खर्चा आता है?

4. रेलवे को ऐसे हल्के प्रोग्राम या पढ़ाई से कैसे फायदा हुआ?

5. क्या यहां से निकले लोगों को सीधे रेलवे की नौकरी में कोई जगह मिली?

6. यदि नहीं, तो क्या रेलवे स्टाफ कॉलेज जैसी प्रीमियर इंस्टिट्यूशन में, रेलवे इनको प्राइवेट कंपनियों में नौकरी के लिए भर्ती कर रही है?

7. क्या फैकल्टी, रेलवे की विशेष योग्यता रखती है? यदि नहीं, तो उन्हें क्यों रखा गया है?

8. क्या रेलवे के सबसे अच्छे इंस्टिट्यूट में इतने हल्के प्रोग्राम चलाना इसकी बेज्जती नहीं है?

9. कहां तो अफ्रीका और दूसरे देशों के लोग यहां रेलवे वर्किंग पढ़ने आते थे और कहां ऐसे नकली कोर्स?

10. रेल यूनिवर्सिटी के नाम पर इसे बंद करने से क्या नुकसान होगा?

जहां ओपन मार्केट में टैलेंट भरा पड़ा है, जहां निजी क्षेत्र ज्यादा बेहतर टैलेंट दे रहा है, जहां रेलवे में न नौकरी मिलने की कोई गारंटी है और न ही इस इंस्टीट्यूट अथवा कथित रेल विश्वविद्यालय के भविष्य की, कि कब तक चलेगा, कब बंद हो जाएगा, फिर यहां कोई क्यों आएगा एडमिशन लेने? और इसीलिए जमालपुर इंस्टीट्यूट (एससीआरए) बंद किया गया था। जब “रेलवे स्टाफ कालेज” का सत्यानाश करने के लिए सभी कैडर ने अपने-अपने “घोंसले” बना लिए, तब इस इंस्टीट्यूट की स्थापना का औचित्य क्या है? इन सभी प्रश्नों का कोई जवाब नहीं मिला है। रेलवे बोर्ड द्वारा इन मुद्दों को स्पष्ट करने की आवश्यकता नहीं समझी गई है।

NAIR & NRTI – the names of corruption, manipulation, arbitrary & conflict of interest

1. The NRTI was established in 2018, it is India’s first Rail University envisaged by Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

2. The NRTI is steeped in Corruption, favouritism & Conflict of interest.

3. The NRTI has 500 students with annual fees collection of Rs 463 lakhs.

4. NRTI spent Rs. 1080 lakhs on consultancy & online training through firms owned by One of its Board Member.

5. Rs. 828 lakhs on consultancy charges to 9dot9 & 252 lakhs for online training to Harappa were spent.

6. A net loss of Rs. 617 lakhs has taken place in one year.

7. The NRTI is refusing to appoint a regular VC and administrative staff to hide its misdeeds.

यह भी पढ़ें: “पतन की पराकाष्ठा“

Despite red flags, Rail University gave contract to the firm of Board member

Despite red flags raised by officials of potential conflict of interest and propriety, contracts worth Rs. 6 crore were given to firms promoted by educationist Pramath Raj Sinha by the “Rail University” even as Sinha is a member of the Board of Management of the same university run by Indian Railways.

Sinha’s company, 9dot9, of which he is founder and managing director, has been awarded a consultancy contract for the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI), a deemed university of the government, worth Rs. 65 lakh per month plus GST for nine months ending December 2021, according to records reviewed by The Indian Express.

This happened despite Railways’ officials flagging the potential conflict of interest in written deliberations and pointing towards possible circumvention of provisions of the General Financial Rules (GFR) of the government which, specifically, deal with conflict of interest in consultancy contracts.

Sinha, the founding Dean of Indian School of Business, is among the founders and trustees of Ashoka University. He has been closely involved in setting up the NRTI, a deemed to be university and loosely termed the “Railway University” in Vadodara.

Sinha’s 9dot9 consultancy is also the strategic partner of US lobby firm Albright Stonebridge Group, chaired by Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State.

Incidentally, this is the second contract given to Sinha’s firms by the institute where he is part of the top management team.

Last year, Harappa Education, of which Sinha is also the Founder and Managing Director, got an assignment to impart training to Railway officials on management practices and Artificial Intelligence.

Sources said that engagement is for around two years and payment is on the basis of participation of officials.

So far, around Rs. 40 lakh has been released, sources said. In the case of 9dot9, the Railway Board approved the contract on April 8 after officials put down in writing that it must comply with the “conflict of interest” provisions laid down in the GFR.

Significantly, in June, too, this was flagged again when the engagement of 9dot9 was to be formalized through paperwork involving RITES – the Railway PSU engaged by Railway Board to execute the matter.

The GFR provisions cited by officials specifically mandate that the consultant hired should strictly avoid conflicts with other assignments or his/its own corporate interests & acting without any consideration for future work.

The provisions say that it is a conflict of interest if the bidding firm or any of its affiliates are either involved in the consultancy contract to which procurement is linked.

Records show that RITES informed the Railway Board that the decision to engage 9dot9 was arrived at after competitive bidding and due diligence.

When asked for his comment on the contracts, Sinha referred to Alka Arora Misra, interim Vice Chancellor of NRTI, and said, “she is the best and most appropriate person to speak on this”.

When contacted, Ms Mishra, who is also Railway Board Additional Member (Human Resources), conveyed through a Railway ministry spokesman that all contracts were awarded as per rules and due process. The “Railway University” was a project envisaged in the first term of the Narendra Modi government. Railways carved out the NRTI from the existing infrastructure in the sprawling campus of National Academy of Indian Railways in Vadodara.

Kindly check the link provided below for rest of the article –

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pramath-raj-sinha-railway-university-national-rail-and-transportation-institute-7444836/

#NRTI #NAIR #IndianRailway #RailwayBoard #AshwiniVaishnaw #RailMinister #PMOIndia