When Indian Railway became 150 years old 3 years back (founded in 1853), it celebrated the momentous occasion for a whole year. And how? It provided more passenger amenities, opened a few museums, started some new trains (which any way it does every year) and did many more that focused on their key constituent, the passengers.
An Indian Railway ticket – the most-used non-currency paper? (Picture source)
As the year passed, we were occasionally reminded of its 150-year legacy through some quaint functions now and then here and there. Being a behemoth that Indian Railway is, – transporting about 5 billion passengers and 650 million tons of freight annually – the small functions it organized in fits and starts to commemorate its serving for 150 years almost went unnoticed.
It is not known if and what the railway employees got for being part of its 150th year’s workforce. One may assume that there have been some monetary benefits for them. Whatever that was, it must surely pale before what LIC and ONGC, the 2 quintessential government giants – have to offer its employees on their 50th anniversary this year.
Picture source: left, right
While ONGC is said to have gifted Rs.50,000 bounty and a memento to every of its 40,000-strong employees, LIC is giving away a 8 gm gold coin to all its more than a lakh workforce. Clearly for some then, it’s nothing short of khul ja simsim. Whoever said, “It pays to be in giant’s shadow” knew for sure what it is to be.
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