New Delhi [India], Feb 10: The Indian Railways has identified more than 13,000 employees in its ranks who are on “unauthorised” leave for a long time and initiated disciplinary action to terminate their services, it said on Friday.

The railways had launched a drive to improve performance of the organisation and boost the morale of sincere and diligent employees. The action is part of that campaign. In a move that is likely to see many employees losing their jobs, the Indian Railways has started a disciplinary drive, under which it is set to sack about 13,000 employees who have been on long unauthorised leaves. The 13,000 employees reportedly make up about 1 percent of the establishment's total workforce.

“A massive drive to identify long-term absentees in various establishments of Railways has been initiated. As a result of the drive, more than 13,000 employees out of about 13 lakh employees were found to be on unauthorised absence for a long time,” the railways said in a statement.

The establishment has initiated disciplinary action under the rules to terminate the service of such absentees. “Railways have instructed all officers and supervisors to weed out these employees from the employees’ rolls after following due process,” the statement stated.