point out that R.2501 which permits a man serving for 10, 20, 30 years at a stretch without break being treated as daily rated servant, is thoroughly opposed to the notions of socio economic justice and it is high time that the Railway administration brings this part of the provision of the Manual, antiquarian and antiquarian, in conformity with the Directive Principles of State Policy as enunciated in Part IV of the Constitution. It may be necessary for a big employer like the railway to employ daily rated workmen but even here it is made distinctly clear that in case of casual labour, the daily wage is fixed by dividing monthly minimum wage by 26 so as to provide a paid holiday. May be, for seasonal employment, or for other intermittent work daily rated workmen may have to be employed. It may as well be that no projects work charged staff may have to be employed because on the completion of the projects the staff may become surplus. That was at a time when planning and projects were foreign to the Indian economy. Today, Railways have perspective plans spreading over decades. If one project is complete another has to be taken over. Railway administration has miles to go and promises to keep and this because clear from the fact that the appellant, a daily rated workman, continued to render continuous service for twenty years which would imply that there was work for a daily rated workman everyday for twenty years at a stretch without break and yet his status did not improve and continued to be treated as daily rated casual labour whose service can be terminated at the whim and fancy of the local satraps. It is high time that these utterly unfair provisions wholly denying socio economic justice are properly modified and brought in conformity with the modern concept of justice and fair play to the lowest and the lowliest in Railway administration.”
