Clarification on Allowances for Supervisors Upgraded Through RBE 155/2022 – Railway Board Issues New Orders
The Railway Board has issued an important clarification regarding the payment of various allowances to supervisors who received upgradation under RBE 155/2022. The latest order, issued vide No. PC-VII/2023/I/7/5/8 dated 06.11.2025, clears several doubts raised by field units regarding admissibility of National Holiday Allowance, Night Duty Allowance, PCO Allowance, and Tough Location Allowance for upgraded supervisors.
🧾 Background of RBE 155/2022
Under RBE 155/2022, supervisors in 46 categories in Pay Level-7 were given a two-stage upgradation:
- 50% of posts were upgraded from Level-7 to Level-8.
- After four years of service in Level-8, these officials are eligible for a non-functional upgradation (NFU) to Level-9.
While the upgradation benefitted many supervisory staff, it also raised queries regarding the applicability of several allowances. The Railway Board, after consultation with the Ministry of Finance and its own Finance Directorate, has now issued a detailed clarification.
📌 Key Clarifications on Allowances
1. National Holiday Allowance (NHA) & Night Duty Allowance (NDA)
- Supervisors upgraded to Level-8 under RBE 155/2022 will continue to receive NHA and NDA.
- However, while calculating the hourly rate of NDA, the maximum Basic Pay will be restricted to ₹43,600.
- All other conditions remain as per RBE 85/2022 (dated 21.07.2022).
2. PCO Allowance
- Supervisors upgraded to Level-8 will no longer be eligible for PCO Allowance.
- However, no recovery will be made for PCO Allowance already paid between 01.12.2022 and 31.08.2025.
3. Tough Location Allowance & Transport Allowance
- Supervisors who receive non-functional upgradation to Level-9 (after 4 years in Level-8) will be eligible for higher rates of:
- Transport Allowance, and
- Tough Location Allowance,
as specified in RBE 80/2017 and RBE 91/2017 respectively.
4. Loss of Certain Allowances After Level-9 Upgradation
- Once a supervisor gets NFU to Level-9, they will cease to be eligible for:
- National Holiday Allowance (NHA)
- Night Duty Allowance (NDA)
- PCO Allowance
5. Effective Date
- These clarifications and rules will apply from 1st September 2025.
- No recoveries will be made for PCO Allowance granted before that date (from 01.12.2022 to 31.08.2025).
🏛️ Official Communication
The order was issued by Shri Jaya Kumar G, Joint Director, Pay Commission & HRMS, Railway Board, with the approval of the Finance Directorate.
🔍 What This Means for Railway Supervisors
This clarification ensures a clear and uniform application of allowances across Indian Railways. Supervisors upgraded under RBE 155/2022 now have defined rules regarding eligibility for key allowances during and after their upgradation phases.
In summary:
- Level-8 supervisors continue to get NHA and NDA (with capped basic pay).
- Level-9 supervisors (NFU) will enjoy higher Transport and Tough Location Allowance, but lose NHA, NDA, and PCO Allowance.
- No financial recovery will be made for past PCO payments before September 2025.