GoI issues postage stamp in name of AIRF, glorious history

Refugee Message Bureau

New Delhi, Feb 27: This year, the oldest, historical and militant organization of Railways, All India Railway Men’s Federation (AIRF), is going to complete 100 years of its establishment. It was established on 24 April 1924. To commemorate this, the Government of India decided to issue a “commemorative postage stamp This centenary year commemorative postage stamp was released by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications and Information Technology, Government of India today, on 27 February 2024, in a grand ceremony at Karnail Singh Railway Stadium, in the presence of more than 5 thousand railway employees.. Many prominent senior officials of Railway Ministry, Indian Postal and Northern Railway were present on this historic occasion. Along with this, top officials of Railway, Postal and other government and unorganized workers’ organizations across the country and other eminent intellectuals were also present. This is the first time in the history of the country when the Government of India has honored a labor organization by issuing a postage stamp in its centenary year, which is a symbol of the fact that this organization is an important organization for this country and its workers. Addressing the employees on this occasion, Chief Guest Mr. Ashwani Vaishnaw briefly highlighted its historical background and said that this organization has been given leadership by such people who are not only involved in the trade union movement of this country but also in the international level trade union movement. Has also made important contribution. This organization of railway workers, playing the role of a responsible trade union organization, has made an important contribution not only in the social and economic upliftment of railway employees but also in making the railway industry safe and convenient for its customers. In his address on this occasion, General Secretary of the AIRF, Shri Shiva Gopal Mishra given detailed information about the activities done by the Federation from time to time in the social, economic and cultural fields for the railway employees and their families. In the journey of hundred years, where the railway employees wrote the development story of Indian Railways under the leadership of All India Railway Men’s Federation, the route kilometer reached 68 kilometers and today 82 Vande Bharat Express Trains are running, and 30 thousand Amrit Bharat coaches have been constructed by our employees. While this Federation established those dimensions of struggle and achievements which included equal pay to the Brithishers , facilities, ban on retrenchment as the AIRF has innumerable achievements in its name like equality of Men of Craft and Men of Letters, bonus, expansion in pay allowances and facilities through pay commissions, expansion in promotions through cadre restructuring, airconditioned pass facility to all, expansion in medical facilities etc. etc . While there are glorious struggles carried out by AIRF in 1960, 1968 and 1974, the resolution and struggle against Emergency is also the history of the strength of this organization. Certainly, there have been 100 years of continuous struggle of All India Railwaymen’s Federation and even in this centenary year, we are continuously struggling for the restoration of old pension and hope that the government will definitely restore it. The ceremony was attended by Dr. N. Kanniah, President, AIRF, Dr. M. Raghavaiah, General Secretary, NFIR, Mrs. Jaya Verma Sinha, Chairman and CEO, Railway Board, Ms. Smita Kumar, Director General, Indian Postal, Mr. Naveen Gulati, Director General (HR), Railway Board, General Manager NR Shri Shobhan Chaudhary, Working President of AIRF Shri J.R Bhosle, Treasurer of AIRF Shri C.H Shankara Rao, National Women’s Convener Mrs. Praveena Singh and many other important officials and officers were present and kept his views on this occasion.. The ceremony was conducted by Shri SK Tyagi, Assistant General Secretary, AIRF.