Memorandum submitted by NAPE Gr C - Regarding 7th CPC to Directorate

Views of NAPE,Group C on the recommendations of the VII CPC on  Postal Assistant Cadre

The 7^th pay commission have now given its recommendation detailing the modus opearndi  as to how the same was arrived at ., The general dictum claimed to have been adapted are not uniformly applied in all cases and only some isolated cases have been benefitted  that too on extraneous reasons like court observations and parity among  recuritees from  the one and the same examination  regardless of nature of the work and department to which they are appointed .

The job evaluation has been totally treated as an non entity and the evidence tendered by the stake holders are meted with luke- warm response. The observation of V and VI pay commission have been bluntly cited to ignore the up gradation sought for and thereby failed to contemplate the   justification  under lying  the existing  work  pattern and schedules in the changed scenario.

While the past pay commissions relied justifiably on fair comparison among the work of homogenous nature , the 7 th pay commission had decided to ward off such approach on the plea that historical parity is longer a moot point under its consideration for the present. Most of the up gradation sought for under this agenda has been turned down by the 7^thcommissions on this reason ( right from pay of Postal Board members to that of Postal asst.) ; Likewise equal pay for equal work is also prime victim of this pay commission ( eg. Artisan in MMS ).

Even this logic and the resultant adjudication is not consistently applied for. The conspicuous exemption to this is the one level up gradation recommended to the inspectorial cadre of postal department without extending the same treatment to the basic feeder cadre on functional justification clubbed with hierarchical  placement.

The pay commission had agreed to the pay hike of inspectorial cadre from the present 4200/- to 4600/- with the cascading effect to its further promotional post of ASP and Superintendent  by one level above the due replacing level corresponding  to the existing grade pay.

The commission had substantiated that the inspector  of posts have a share of direct recruits to the tune 33.33% and recruited through ‘combined graduate level exam’ conducted by Staff Selection commission. Without any deliberation of the job evaluation in the respective  , the pay commission had simply consented to treat them on par with inspector of CBDT& CBES who are recruited through the same exam  and granted the Pay band of 4600/- .

Thus the promotees  to IP cadre from among the PAs ,   (66% ) are destined   to have the  benefit  not because of any job evaluation or functional  homogeneity  but by an extraneous consideration of direct recruit component of the care is  equated with the other recruits of the other departments.

 A new kind of approach is therefore realized  in the annals of pay commission where in the nature of examination with the common educational qualification has been taken moot point for consideration  of  pay hike. But the same commission rejected, citing the historical parity cannot be the criterion, for upgradation Postal board members pay on par with the member of CBDT and CBES even though the ingress in the all India service remain one and the same .

While there can not be any objection to this up gradation given to inspectorial cadre, for what so ever reason, its impact should not be confined to the IP cadre alone but to extended to the Postal assistant also because in the past the pay level of IP are determined with reference to the PA cadre and this balance has to kept intact .

            The IP cadre  were treated equal with the LSG of PA cadre  to begin with and in the ascendancy the ASP with that  of HSG II prior to V pay commission  .The status of PA and its off shoot LSG, HSG II with that of IP and ASP  can be elucidated with the following tell -tale tabulation ;

Postal assistant vis-à-vis Inspectors prior to V pay commission

CADRE	IV PAY COMM	V PAY	VI  PAY	VII PAY
POSTAL ASST	975-25-1150-1330-1600 ( S—6)	4000-100-6000   (S-7)	5200-20200  GP 2400	LEVEL  4 = GP 2400
LSG	1400-40-1800-50-2300   ( s-8)	4500-125-7000   (S-8)	5200-20200  GP 2800	LEVEL  5 =  GP 2800
INSPECTOR	1400-40-1800-50-2300   ( S-8)	5000-150-8000   (S-9)	9300-34800  GP 4200	LEVEL  7 = GP 4600
HSG II	1600-50-2300-60-2660   ( S-9)	5000-150-8000   (S-9)	9300-34800  GP 4200	LEVEL  6 = GP 4200
ASST SUPDT	1600-50-2300-60-2660   ( S-9)	5500-175-9000 (S-10)	9300-34800  GP 4600	LEVEL  8 = GP 4800

The Postal Assistant remained the sole feeder cadre for both LSG and Inspector cadre through promotion, with the same year of service  ( i.e 5 year of minimum service), for becoming eligible for promotion  up to  IV pay commission .

The pay scale of both the LSG and Inspector were, therefore, remained the same i.e  S-8  ( 1400-40-1800-50-2300) and the  next level of promotion as HSGII and ASP in the respective line  were placed in the next immediate higher scale namely S-9 (1600-50-2300-60-2660 ). This parity was maintained from all along even prior to IV pay commission. The operative hierarchy in postal were thus treated in tandem with the inspectorial administrative functions.

But during V pay commission , headed by  the Hon.Justice Rathnavel Pandiyan have made thread bare analysis  and paid  heed to the representation from various quarter about the job nature of the postal assistants and postman . The meticulous job evaluation of the basic cadre of the department have convinced the V pay commission to infer that PAs  are unique in the job profile and are performing multifarious functions  like mail , banking , insurance etc  and therefore have placed them  one scale higher at S-7 (4000-100-6000)  to the due S-6 (3200-85-4900 ) the replacement scale  for the existing  scale  975-25-1150-1330-1600 ( S—6).

At the same stretch and nuance of  justice , the V pay commission had accorded the same one scale jump  for the inspectorial cadres  and placed them in S-9 (5000-150-8000)  instead of the due S-8  4500-125-7000( S-8) the replacement scale for the existing scale   (1400-40-1800-50-2300)   S 8

It is needless to say that the pay hike to IP s have become necessary and rendered possible for the simple fact that the V pay commission felt that the one level jump given to PA cadre should be allowed to the IP cadre also  and  thereby enabling the gap in remuneration to represent  establish the hierarchical identity and distinction .

The replacement scale of S-8  meant for the LSG/ IP   cadres was allowed as such for LSG alone  and confined to these cadre,  thereby  the IP cadre ( admin) is distinguished from that of  the PA cadre (operative line )

It is this distinction borne out of the functional compulsion and level of execution  that made  the VI  pay commission to  contemplated  and concur  the same extent of  gap with one level  jump and accordingly  placed them (.PA ;2400,  LSG ; 2800 ,IP 4200).

The up gradation given to PA and IP cadre (with inert logic and justification) has been broken once and for all with no valid and tenable reason by the VII pay commission.

The functional  justification of Postal Assistant  with multifarious work of complex nature that  warranted a  a special scale  in v pay commission  and its fall out  on the  pay  of IP cadre with the extent of hike  have been shattered in the VII pay commission .The gap is widened with no intra departmental  justification to do so,

            It is further, an irony that the job evaluation of PA cadre for present day work demand is entirely different from that of those that existed at the inception of V Pay and VI  pay commission  has been conveniently  forgotten and  the time tested concepts have been ignored.

            Instead the component of the eligibility of direct recruitment in a cadre and their selection process through the one and the same recruiting agency have been taken into consideration  as valid point to upgrade the pay. The Inspector have been given another gradation to get equated with the inspectors of the other departments  for the one only reason that they have been  recruited through the same combined graduation level  examination of staff selection commission .

Thus an new concept of taking agency and nomenclature of recruiting process has been adapted by  the VII  pay commission (there by deviating from concepts of inclusiveness, comprehensibility and the parameters of job evaluation , fair comparison, equanimity   among the cadres of basic level.)

The intrusion of the new concept may go a long way to end in a clamor for all to get them equated with those drawing higher pay with a similar the minimum educational qualification as the deciding factor. Even the IAS/IPS officers are recruited among the candidates with minimum qualification of graduation and through a recruiting agency of UPSC, the next level entity SSC.

            The33.3 % of direct recruits of IP cadre have become the reason for the pay hike for rest of 66% of IPs promoted from PA cadre—the feeder cadre. The cascading effect of elevating the pay level of the ASP, SP in the line of ascendancy is also considered by the Pay commission.

No sort of things in the intra departmental functional justification, as decided in the previous pay commission, is considered for pay hike to IP cadre. It is only the direct recruits who have decided the pay hike

ON Other Hand

The job evaluation submitted in respect of PA cadre to the VII  pay commission by the Federation  are self-speaking  and in volumes . The present state of affairs in the Post offices And RMs demands only candidates of graduate level aptitude and skill. In reality  also almost the new recruits in the recent years  are not  only  graduates but are also ,considerably, the professional  degree holders like BE / B.tech etc. Therefore the need for enhancement of educational qualification and equating them with their counter parts in recruiting ting process is requested to be considered

Against the back drop of  the seventh pay commission’s  intention to cite  recommendations of V and VI pay commission to discard the request of various demands before them ,  the same intention may kindly  be invoked  to adhere to  the spirit of V and VI pay commission deliberations on PA vis-a vis IP

Accordingly   the pay of the PA should be raised   to level  5 ( with GP 2800) and there by remain just two  levels below the IP level of pay and further giving the intermediary level 6 ( GP 4200) to LSG and level 7 (GP 4600) to  HSG II   in order to   keep the extant of  gap as ever before that was inherited for the past 20 years ,the tenure of  V and VI pay commission dispensation .          

            It is a well known fact that the nature of work of a Post Office is unique and incomparable with other Government Departments.  It has no constant working hours.  A major portion of employees is working in split hours. Unlike other Government Departments, Postal employees are working for six days in a week. The services provided by Postal staff are multifarious.  They are trained to work on about 50 kinds of softwares.  The number of branches in a Post Office is an open evidence.  In most of the Government Offices, preparation and submission of returns is a monthly process.  Whereas in PO it is a daily mandatory work in every branch.   Considering its uniqueness, the V-CPC differentiated us by placing Postal Assistants at Rs.4000/- scale and Postman at Rs.3200/- on par with LDC.  But VII-CPC does not seem to have looked into the just demands of Postal Unions and totally ignored us.  It has simply put all fishes into one pot.

 

            In addition it has abolished 52 allowances heartlessly. The reason attributed for the abolition is still wounding. Allowances are tools of management to encourage employees to put forth their extra efforts & calibre which will definitely improve the productivity.  Abolition of all the allowances in the name of ‘uniformity’ will make them too indifferent.    Denial of Handicapped allowance is the most inhuman recommendation which nobody can tolerate and it is against the policy of the  Government.  Similarly, when Treasury allowance is sanctioned on the basis of the statistics of total amount of cash handled, abolishing it by citing the reason that handling of cash has fallen down due to electronic transfers is quite meaningless.  Similarly when Chennai, a State capital has become the worst victim of floods, abolition of Flood advance is highly merciless.   And denial of Scooter advance/motor car advance, Festival advance etc. will deprive Government servants of their chance to improve their standard of living and push them to private financiers to evade complex formalities in PSU Bank.  This will rob off a sizeable portion of their income towards high rated interest.  Being the largest and model Employer, the Govt. holds the responsibility of protecting the interest and welfare of its employees. The Commission should have analysed the genuine reasons why these allowances and advances were introduced earlier.  I request you to use your good offices to see that all allowances and advances are continued and increased proportionately. 

            Particularly, the Commission has humiliated the operative staff to the extent possible. Once upon a time, during British reign the status of a Head Postmaster was comparable to the highest Revenue authorities of a District.    I request you to recall the position of HSG-I cadre and Inspector-Posts cadre during  pre IV-CPC period.  As you are aware HSG-I isthe highest operative cadre and IP is the lowest administrative cadre.   By placing both at Rs.4600/- grade pay level,  the VII-CPC has equated the lowest administrative cadre with the highest operative cadre.  It shows the colonial attitude of the Commission that even a Head Postmaster is not above an Inspector at entry level. It is a great insult and injustice to operative side Supervisors.                                                                   

            The Commission has merely justified that IP cadre has to be placed on par with Inspectors recruited for CBDT.  But it has failed to consider that the duties performed daily and responsibilities held by Selection Grade Supervisors and Postmasters. Though he is in charge of Operative office, his work nature is quasi administrative.     In a PO, the Postmaster has to man, supervise and administer even about 70-80 employees. He is a Sub Appointing Authority.   In the changed scenario of CBS, his role and responsibilities are very vital in the Department.  He has to manage and solve many network and software related issues at his level. Besides he handles crores of Rupees of cash every day.  All the new products of the Department are marketed through him and all new Schemes are ultimately implemented through him.  He is meeting the customers face to face every day which is the most important work of the Department.  Post Forum meeting is conducted by the Head Postmaster himself.  The Head Postmaster is supervising the work of about 10 LSG/HSG-II Supervisors including APM (A/cs).  He is provided with independent Field Officers like PRI (P) and Marketing Executives.  

            It is imperative to mention that on migration to McCamish , the work of Postal Life Insurance has been drastically decentralised to HPOs and the Head Postmaster is delegated with financial powers to sanction huge amounts of claim. The works of perusal & acceptance of proposals, sanctioning of loans & claims etc. are highly responsible and indeed an additional work attached to the Postmaster. 

            Further the Commission has found no justification to recommend separate pay scale to DSMs and MEs.  It is surprising that the Commission has justified an open exploitation in the name of ‘willingness’.  It is a wrong precedence which will lead to serious consequences if applied mutatis mutandis in all cadres.  This will collapse the seniority system followed in transfers and postings and will cause unfair practices.  I suggest that the posts of DSM and ME may be placed at Rs.4600/- level and filled through a LDCE.

            The VII-CPC has reintroduced compulsory retirement and EB crossing. It has ruled that failure to get required benchmark for promotion within the first 20 years of service will result in stoppage of increment. And such employees who have out lived their ability, their services need not be continued and the continuance of such persons in the service should be discouraged.  This is a theorem of corporate sector who use their employees like a chewing gum.   It is like pushing parents into orphanage at their dotage when they are in need of help and support.  And EB crossing is one of the lethal weapons applied against employees.  The Commission has failed to find out the reason for lifting Efficiency Bar earlier by the Govt.

VIIth CPC hasn’t addressed the grave anomalies brought to its notice through this union  which was illustrated below

¨         Postal Assistant is drawing the following

Postal Assistant  Service	Grade Pay	Pay Band
Initial entry	2400	5200-20200 – Pay Band I
10 yrs of service	2800	5200-20200 – Pay Band I
20 yrs of service	4200	9300-34800 – Pay Band II
30 yrs of service	4600	9300-34800 – Pay Band II

¨        Prior to implementation of the 6th CPC,    BCR Postman hither to in 5th CPC its equivalent in  6th CPC 30 yrs of Service or MACP III Postman pay scale is the starting scale of the Postal Assistant.  Hence there is no anomaly in the pay and so the postman could show interest for promotion to Postal Assistant.

 

¨         But with the grade  pay structure of the 6th CPC  this parity was lost .  As  a matter of  policy of the UPA government it has upgraded the Postman pay scale,  this    up-gradation  has led to the loss of parity between the Postman and Postal Assistant.  Department of Posts hasn’t taken any steps to redress this anomaly till date.

¨         6th CPC has clearly mentioned that Grade Pay reflects the cadre in a scale. But after implementation of 6th CPC the scenario is different. Due to overlapping of the grade pays, even though a Postman gets promoted to PA  his grade pay will be from 2400 even though in Postman cadre he may be drawing  2800 as Grade pay.

¨  Another example is the Grade Pay of  LSG supervisor i.e APM(Mails)/APM(SB)/APM(Accounts) is  2800,  who were supervisory staff to Postman staff.   Where as a Postman after 30 years of Service most Postman will be drawing a grade pay of Rs.4200/-  which is a glaring indication of supervisor drawing less pay than his subordinate postman.

¨         An HSG-II Postmaster  who is the overall head of a Post Office will be drawing Rs.4200/-  as Grade Pay and   a postman working under him draw with 30 years of service also  draws the same  Rs.4200/- as Grade pay.

 

Concluding Remarks:

Why a Postal Asst needs a better pay package is illustrated in the earlier pages, but a birds  view is as under.

VIIth CPC has paid a blind eye to the working hours being meted out by a Postal Assistant. A Postal Assistant works for 2280 Hours in a year   where as an administrative Central Govt Employee works for only  1980.5 hours in year.  The net difference is   299.5 Hours  i.e approx 300(37 days) extra hours  is being performed by  Postal assistant without any extra pay for the work performed but all Pay commissions except Vth CPC  have just equated their pays basing on educational qualifications.

The Department of Posts is being used as financial distribution agency for all the central govt welfare schemes.  Even the present Government is very pro-active for this idea and a proof for this is  department is implementing Core Banking solutions, Payment Bank,  and actively considering for Post Bank of India. For handling the forth coming multifarious works along with the present works being done by a Postal Assistant requires higher caliber and a change in his minimum educational qualifications from 10+2 to Bachelors Degree is inevitable.  In the coming years many employees will be retiring and a new generation of employees needs to be recruited.  It is the right time for Government to consider this aspect in view of bright future and better prospects for the department.

After the implementation of the VIth CPC recommendatios under MACP scheme many of the promotees from Group-D and Postman cadre have lost their due benefits by getting promoted to Postal Assistant through Departmental examination.  He would have drawn benefits of GP 4200 if he has continued in the same Postman cadre.  Examples are cited above.

This union has brought to the notice of the VIIth cpc Chairman the hardships, anamolies and nature of work a Postal Assistant is doing and hoped CPC  will justify their hardwork.  Till now the employees are peforming  more than their basic qualifications/yard sticks, but these recommendations may derange from this work culture which may have severe repercussions in future.

Thus the Postal Assistant does deserve the Pay Band of PB-2 – 9300 – 34800 with Grade Pay of 4200/-

All through out the 6^th CPC period this union has urged the government for enhancing the OTA but none were answered.  As 7^th CPC is favourable  where ever it is justified, we hope the department even now to respond on par with other department like Railways .

Thus, the Postal Assistant Cadre is degraded further creating a recurring anomaly to the retirees as a retired postal assistant draws less pension than a retired postman. Further on perusal of 7^th pay commission in fixation of pension to a postal assistant who retires on 31-12-2015 gets more pension (pre revised pay) than the postal assistant who retires after 01-01-2016, actually draws 15% less pension after revision of pay.  While perusing the table given by 7^th pay commission it is noticed that the annual increment which  is stated to be 3% is not exactly 3% but it is between 2.7% to 2.8% this anomaly arose due to rounding off fraction of amount to the nearest 100 for example 18000 x 3%=18540 but the next stage is 18500 therefore the anomaly should be rectified by rounding off to the next 100 in the above case to 18600.

ALL ALLOWANCES RATIONALISED OR ABOLISHED BY THE 7^TH PAY COMMISSION SHOULD BE RESTORED

                                                                                                                                         (D.KISHANRAO)

 GENERAL SECRETARY,

                                                                                                                                         NAPE GROUPC

            National Association of Postal Employees  Group “C”

Tiruvannamalai Division – Tiruvannamalai – 606601

Divisional Secretary : R.Saravanan  Cell : 9442280392

Dear Colleagues/revered member,–

         

            All might be well aware about the recommendations of seventh pay commission recently submitted to the Govt and its impact on the pay structures of the Central Govt. employees.

  Without going in to details, section wise, one may come to conclusion that the recommendations are highly retrograde and is not deserved to be considered as a righteous dispensation of a pay commission- true to its sprit and objectivity.

  In precise, the pay commission out of its pre-tutored designs/plot by the Government has given an increase of a meagre 14.52 % and that too aimed to be recovered and incorporated in the Government account by taxes and state sponsored savings etc, there by leaving the net benefit almost NIL. The intactness of GDP (Gross domestic Price) prior to and after the implementation of the SPC bears testimony to this contention by the experts and stale holders.

  Against this back drop, the Trade Union leaders under the aegis of NJCA, across the country representing 48 lakhs of Government employees are now preparing for to fight out the injustice.

  As a prelude to series of collective agitation lying ahead of us  to vent out our  grievance and achieve the demand , the NJCA (National Joint Council of Action) have directed through our  Federation to wear black badge for the whole working day on 27.11.2015 (as a token and advent of the forthcoming agitation.)

  I humbly request you to please wear the enclosed black badge for 27.11.2015 and express solidarity.

Yours faithfully,

[R.SARAVANAN]

Secretary, NAPE-Group-C

Tiruvannamalai Division,

Tiruvannamalai 606601.

SUBJECTS FOR RJCM HELD ON 06.08.2015 BY OUR UNION

SUBJECT 1 :

On introduction of CBS in various offices, the staffs are put into intolerable hardship on day to day basis with no respite in sight in the near future.

Request for compensating the extra work hours put in official of CBS implemented offices.

The officials of these offices are forced to stay in office after office working hours in order to complete the CBS verification. Request for finding way and means to end the endless travails meted to officials in CBS offices.

The plight of the women employees is ineffable and RISK fraught especially when they are to return to home in the late hours. Apart from, becoming totally indifferent to their domestic chores including child care, their  vulnerability to the undesirable incidents either while working alone in the office in isolation or on the way back to home in odd hours are to be borne in consideration and remedy found on a  war - foot basis.

·         The connectivity pace of the web based is the prime reason for all these hardship faced by our staff. The other compatibility like RAM speed etc., are to be taken care by the technical sides once the problem is seized of its due attention. The problem relating to the central server imbibing capacity is beyond our domain.

·         But oblivious to what is in store for us by the action in higher echelons, it is requested to do some plausible measure in our domain to bring down the peril facing us The over flooding of data reach out to server in the evening hours pertaining to BO transaction results in clogging and glitches, very typical of peak hour spurt in the traffic. The work in closing hours of the sub offices is to be reduced if at all any prima facie remedy is to be realized.

The following measures are suggested with one and only solace these can be done in our level as per the rules.

(i)           The conversion of all BO in the CBS offices as one day transit offices with instruction to treat the bag received for the day as bags received after closing of the account bag to HO, except taking the cash as advance remittance. The contents of the bag except RL/mails are to kept overnight and to be incorporated in the next day account. The work of the BOS is therefore can be started right from the morning with the vouchers of previous day and can be put through in phased manner during office hours. The spread out entry of BOs transactions concurrently and leisurely with the sub offices work will avoid the accumulation in the evening and the crowding of data to server can be therefore be effectively eschewed.

(ii)           Even if there is any likelihood of delay due to unanticipated glitches, the work of the day can be planned and alternate measures of shifting the CBS related work to nearby offices where the verification can be done well within reasonable time.

(iii)          Constituting of special salvaging cell comprising of qualified staff with staggered attendance at focal points in order to complete the work of the Sub offices that cannot be accomplished for the aforesaid reason. As such it is a common sight that some of the sub office staffs are trying the validation in the HO in late evening hours as and when the  total connectivity is lost in their office 

iv)           Grant of OTA in consummation of with the periodicity of retention in the office over and above the normal working hours with no restriction on the duration of hours s and number of days.

SUBJECT 2 : 

Non Payment of DCRG in one lump sum to the eligible cases :

The practice of withholding the part of eligible DCRG to the retired officials or the nominee of the of the deceased employee still continue in all cases.

As per the DOPT orders in 20/16/1998-P&PW (F) dated 19^th February, 2013, withholding of 10 % of DCGR is required to be done only in respect of official in whose cases the clearance are to be given clearance from Directorate of Estates. It is further reiterated that except for adjusting the outstanding dues towards Govt. accommodation, DCRG cannot be withheld for whatsoever other reason be.

Nevertheless, the head of the divisions are paying the DCRG in two instatements withholding the 10% and releasing the same after an inordinate delay.

Request to instruct competent authority to following the rules and request for payment of penal interest of withheld cases in violation of the rules.

SUBJECT 3 :

Denial of admission to trainees deputed from divisions for undergoing Mid Career Training at PTC for no plausible reasons :

Officials in various level of MACP are deputed to PTC Madurai to undergo Mid Career Training, as per the seat allocation through RO. The officials are ordered by the division at the last hours without putting them on adequate notice. Resultantly the staff, especially women employees, are put in to enormous predicament on domestic grounds and left with no time for making alternate arrangement for the child care etc.,. The officials thus deputed to PTC are virtually sent back in many cases for reasons never heard of them and of no fault of them.

The officials eligibility fixed by the PTC Madurai and communicated to Divisional office, if deviated slightly by the divisional heads are rendering the innocuous official who makes the way to PTC, Madurai, to come back abruptly on the same day of reporting the PTC.

MACP II officials (who  have completed just 30 years but not in receipt of MACP III orders)  to the Training meant for MACP II officials are denied admission on the stand that they have completed 30 years of service. Even officials who are completing of service of 30 years during the course of 15 days training are denied admissions.

The irony remains in the fact that the rules governing the eligibility of trainees are not known to the officials in advance nor no such instruction circulated among the union to keep watch on the eligibility or otherwise of officials thus deputed.

It is further learnt that no such instruction of carving out the eligibility criterion with such surgical precision has been issued by the Directorate so far. It is therefore, the tenability of the such of the rules that are seemingly devised by the head of the PTC is resulting in unutterable hardship to the officials and unnecessary dislocation of work and expenses thereof.

As per the RTI Manual 2 of India post  the powers of the PTC Director is constrained up to the intra mural activities as to the schedule of training, design of training etc.. and cannot be extended beyond to the extent of ordering a training.

Request for devising the eligibility criterions by the competent authority, duly circulating the same amongst the officials and enable to confirm their eligibility before proceeding to PTC and contest in the event of deviation.

Request for allocation of seats and deputing the officials well in advance to make them prepared for the training on prior hand.

  

SUBJECT 4 :

Non grant of financial upgradation to MACP III for declining to join the postmaster Grade I on getting qualified :

The officials who are given MACP III upgradation are denied pensioner benefit citing the reason the officials have declined the promotion of Postmaster Grade I after declaration of result and before joining the post.

Shri.DhanapaL, an MACP II official, on becoming successful in the exam for Postmaster Grade I exam and declined the promotion on when he is about to get his MACP III upgradation. The official had declined the Postmaster Grade I post for his personal reason as per the stipulation contained in DG Posts letter no.  93-06/2012-SPB II dated 11.3.2013. Meanwhile, he become due for MACP III and was granted MACP by screening committee w.e.f. 16.6.12. Further, prior to superannuation on 31.12.2014,   his pension paper on the basis of last pay drawn in grade pay of Rs.4,600/- was objected to by the audit on the plea that official could not be granted MACP III because he declined the promotion invoking para 25 of MACP orders.

Request for treating the cases identical to the above not under the ambit of para 25 of MACP orders for the following reasons.

1.       The upgradation could not be deferred till such time he agrees to be considered for promotion against which is possible otherwise in the normal line of regular promotion.

2.       As per the DG letter dated 11.3.2015, those who decline Postmaster Grade I promotion on coming out successful in the exam, cannot become eligible in normal course except by appearing in the exam once again and getting qualified. Hence declining promotion is of the effect of precarious nature if the examination is by choice is scrapped subsequently. The officials behold of such imbroglio are therefore doomed and denied the natural justice enjoined in case of similarly placed officials who decline promotion of regular nature, say LSG/HSGII /HSG III etc., which are definitely to recur.  

The para 25 is therefore cannot be invoked since the chance getting considered for promotion again is not per-se of unavoidable routine but by chance of ones fickle and precarious chance of getting through the examination (if at all conducted subsequently).

Such cases which are not fitting the provisions of para 25  and remaining elusive for the connotation of ‘having denied an opportunity of regular promotion’ is requested be adjudged by this August forum and justice done.

SUBJECT 5 :

ROHSC :

Request for relaxing the power of granting advance of medical expenses upto the permissible limit without imposing ceiling of up to Rs.10,000 /- at divisional level :

As per the direction contained in C.O. letter no. APB/42-Medical advance/14-15 dated 25.08.2014,                   the head of divisions are restricted to grant advance only to Rs.10,000/- in all cases involving grant of medical advance.

All medical bills fulfilling the eligibility criterion as per the CSMA rules and CGHS rules as the case may be are passed by the head of the division hitherto. Likewise, advance of medical expenses for the applicable cases in which the head of the division are eligible to pass the final bill also have been passed by the head of the division up to permissible limit (i.e. 80% of estimate in the authorities rate) without any restriction. Only the cases which comes under the ambit of appendix VIII of CSMA rules are being referred to R.O. for final passing and no advance are granted to in such cases.

In majority of the cases involving procedure and hospitalization, 80% of the expenses are sanctioned hitherto as per the Medical Attendance Rules.

While being so the latest imposition of limit for sanctioning the advance to eligible cases to RO/CO will delay the process of sanction and will not serve the purpose to treatment cost involving procedure in short notice.

Request the forum to allow the head of the division to exercise the power of grant of advance in the usual manner for which they empowered to sanction the bill as per the rules on the subject.

SUBJECT 6 :

TREATING OF DCRG NOMINATION MADE IN FAVOUR OF FAMILY MEMBERS INVALID AND NOT SUBSIST BY THE AUTHORITIES IN CONTRAVENTION TO RULES ON THE SUBJECT :

There is a case in the recent past, that DPA, Chennai treated the nomination made for DCRG purposes by an deceased official as invalid since he had not included all the member of family as nominee.

One, Late S.Maria Jospeh Gregory, PA of Tiruvannamalai division (DOD – 09.04.2014) had made nomination in favour of his wife and also his first son as the second nomination to receive the DCRG when the contingency arises in equal shares. Accordingly, the Divisional Head has sanctioned the DCRG in equal parts while sanctioning the 90% of DCRG and the amount was paid to them accordingly. But the Audit, on receipt of these orders along with pension papers have objected to the payment to the nominees for the reason that the second son who was born later had not been incorporated in the nominee list as per the Rule 53 of CCS (Pension Rules, 1972) and inferred that the nomination made earlier does not subsist. Further, directed to pay the DCRG on the basis of legal heir-ship certificate, recovering the amount paid towards 90% of the DCRG.

The DCRG which ought to have been settled in accordance with laws have been circumvented and have put on the family of deceased official, the burden of getting legal heir-ship certificate and repaying the amount already received. In as much as the harmony amounts the family members in this case, no untoward litigation or protest did arise except the time consumption and getting legal certificate. But the tenacity of the authorities in not considering the rule on the subject will deprive the officials of their due rights conferred by law.

The case above is absolute violation of the rights borne by an official to make his choice from amount the permissible segment of dependents. The nomination made in favor any members outside to the family either at the time of making initial nomination (vide 53(1)) or any alternate nominee other than the family member alone only will become invalid once the government servant acquires family and additional member in the family, as the case may be.

But the authorities have taken that the nomination made earlier even among the permissible members of the family will become invalid every time the family acquires new members. In other words the Govt. servant is expected to include all the members of the family failing which the nomination made earlier does not substitute.

The action of the authorities is therefore in violation of rules on misinterpretation. Request this august forum to do justice and uphold the rule in spirit and letter.

SUBJECT 7 :

Request for taking perennial rate/quantum of attribute for the purpose of computing Related Merit Points under Compassionate Appointment Scheme.

                Of the various attributes meant for computing RMP except the attributes Viz., Family Pension (A) and Left over services (H) are subject to fluctuations. The fluctuations of these factors are of unpredictable nature but however the case of Family Pension, the Family Pension drawn at the enhanced rate, 50 % of the Last Pay of the deceased official is taken into account. This rate is of only temporary nature and only 30% ie., normal family pension is only a permanent one. Taking the interim and adhoc pension at enhanced rate is therefore tat-amounts to denying justice. Many such cases if normal rate of pension is taken into account, 2 and more points will be earned by the deserving ones. Request the forum to consider the above aspect and instruct the CRC to rely upon the attributes of permanent and perennial value.

SUBJECT 8 :

Request for scheming the modalities of shifting PO buildings within the time frame.

In the present trend of ever-rising real estate values, the task of acquiring a building for  Post Office remains a formidable challenge to the Divisional Heads/authorities.

                As usual, the staffs working in buildings in bad condition are at the receiving ends and bound to suffer the short comings. Many of the buildings which are over-due for shifting on the basis of genuine reasons are delayed for want of expediency in finalization of the building offer.

                Even, if the alternate building is secured after a protracted effort, the other aspects like assessment of rent, constitution/visit/minutes/approval of FRAC etc., are time consuming and long drawn processes which prolong the shifting. In many of the cases, in one’s experience, the landlords, on becoming weary of delay and incurring loss with non-receipt of rent, have in fact, withdrew the offer.

                On top of all of the aforesaid hurdles, the latest one now being faced in shifting of building is getting the approval of Directorate in connection with shifting of SIFY Router. Getting this approval of the Directorate is necessitated only after completion of all the process and even after fixing of the date of shifting. But the inordinate delay on account of this, even after the mutually consented date of shifting, is not endured by the landlords.

                Request the august forum to formulate and device a time bound schedule for shifting the PO buildings and also prescribe an alternate substitute of access in the place of SIFY Router Viz., Data Card etc., pending receipt of approval for shifting the SIFY Router.

SUBJECT 9 :

Request for grant of honorarium for the fixation of pay in respect of those whose increment falls due from 2.1.2006 to 30.6.2006

v  The work related to fixation of as per the Revised Pay rules 2006 and drawl of arrears ,on pro-rata basis was granted vide the authority contained in DG(P) letter no 42-1/2008 PAP dated 21.12.2009.

v  The fixation done to those officials for whose increment fell in the first half of the year 2006 were ordered to be re-fixed by granting one increment as on 31.12.2005 in the pre-revised pay and arrear be drawn accordingly vide MOF OM No. 10/02/2011-E III-A dated 19.3.2012.More than half of the officials pay coming under purview of this stipulation was done and arrear was drawn from 1.1.2006 to 2012.

v  The head of the divisions are not granting the honorarium without discerning the actual content and scheme of the work involved in the subject matter by simply misconceiving the matter as sheer grant of one time increment.

v  The way in which the fixation was re- fixed  as per the MOF OM dated 19.3.2012 and the subsequent instruction contained in the OM dated 22.5.2013 & 3.1.2013 on the  procedure to adapted sequel to re fixation all stand to testify the wok done now are replica of the work that was initially done as per the RP rule 2006.

Hence this request to compensate the officials working in accounts branch who are overworked due to shortage of staff.

SUBJECT 10 :

Request for not abolishing the GDSV/SV post despite there has been decline in sale of stamps on the basis of the latest statistics.

v  The statistics of latest nature can not reflect the actual quantum and potential of office in so far as the sales are concerned. There had been a dearth of stamps for a few months and stocks are replenished only recently.

v  The work rendered surplus because of the abolition of the stamp vendor have to borne by the counter PAs. The counters are adequately manned due to shortage of staff and further the augmentations of clerical staff are overdue in many of the offices where the abolition of SV are intended.

v  The work of the staff at counters, if interspersed with sale of stamps, the pace and flow of the other main transactions as per the MDW will be terribly upset which will attract the wrath of the customer who have to wait .With addition of more and more new items of work like IMT, Mobile money transfer etc, the counter PAs are really overburdened as each and every transaction of kind requires briefing with customers considerably. It is needless to say what sort of additional work is in store for them once the hand –on – device are introduced and at the stage the output of this performance by field officials are to accommodate in the office transaction .

v   Already the sale of stamps are being done at counter in the form of PSR collection which is not assigned with time factor for commutation of the work load .The present work load for booking of accountable articles are one and the same  for both type, either   stamps affixed  or cash collected. If the stamp are to vended by the PAS , inevitably it will tell upon the efficiency of the other work resulting in public to prefer the alternate services.

Hence it is requested to allow the Stamp vending staff of bigger office where the work load of the counter PA are far in excess of available staff hours and augmentation of the staff are justified.{In most of the offices the working strength of clerical strength is less than the sanctioned strength.}

SUBJECT 11  :

Request for sanctioning the 1/4^th of full daily allowance, as special allowance, to those who are compulsorily to  take up the boarding and lodging at the training institutes

v  As per the GOI (3) 2 below SR 164, the officials staying in the residential training programs by paying the fixed rates are to be given special allowance.

v  The plea of passing authorities that the new DA rule w.e.f 1.9.2008 cannot be applied is not tenable. As per new rule from 1.9.2008, except new rates (comprising of three components viz. food bill, accommodation and local travel expenditure} none of the other conditions that were in prevalence as on 1.9.2008 were amended. In fact options to claim on either old rate or new rates have also been accorded. While the stipulations are so firm and amenable, the contention that the rules prior to 1.9.2008 are extinct is not correct.

v  For an example , an official in GP 2400/- has to pay Rs.230 per day for compulsory stay in campus at PTC ,Madurai whereas the same official is entitled to a maximum of Rs.675/-(450+150+75) if they are at liberty to stay outside.

v  The difference between the expenditure under compelled state of affair and the official own choice of stay is only sought to be cushioned in  the form special allowance to be cushioned in the form  of special allowance  to  equivalent to 1/4^th of the DA. This underlying principal and spirit of rule for special kind of DA and officials are to suffer the loss nevertheless legitimate bindings, leave alone, natural justice behold of officials welfare.

v  Of late, clarifications are being issued by Divisional levels that the special allowances equal to 1/4^th DA cannot be granted since there is no DA available in the new TA Rules [VI CPC]. It is only the DA that was sanctioned in monetary terms based upon the duration of stay prior to VI CPC, have become DA that was reimbursed based upon the actual incurring of expenses in the latest orders.

v  Hence, the amount that was reimbursed as per the expenditure incurred is the DA debitable under TE funds. The question of non existence of DA, therefore, does not arise. 1/4^th of this DA is required to be paid as per FR 164 as Special Allowance debitable in Salary Heads.

Request the august forum to consider the grant of 1/4^th DA as per the rule and cause instruction to dispel all the confusion prevailing over the issue.

SUBJECT 12 :

SURRENDER OF POSTS IN PA CADRE MORE THAN THE TARGET IN ADR PLAN DURING 2013 WHICH ARE NOW STAYED BY THE HON’BLE COURT OF LAW :

As per the directions of Directorate, every Division was instructed to identify the Posts of PAs/Postman/Group-D for surrendering under ADR Plan during 2013. Accordingly, Posts were identified for surrendering on abolition.

However, those Posts which are not abolished upto 28.05.3013 are under the orders of Stay. So the fate of the Posts identified for abolition are subject to outcome of the Court. 

Eventhough, the Posts of PA cadre has nothing to do with the Stay orders and the objectivity of the case filed, the stay is operable to PA cadre also for it being with the Postman and Group-D in the initial order instructing the surrender of Posts under ADR Plan.

 

In PA cadre, apart from abolishing the allotted number of Post in the target as per the ADR Plan, the Posts of LR are also abolished proportionate to the total number of regular Posts abolished.  

For example, in Tiruvannamalai Division, the total 21 post of PAs earmarked for surrendering is for amongst the post lying unfilled for more than one year under the share of direct recruitment inn our department.

In our department, the cadre of postal assistant, the LRPA Posts are created on the basis of the total number of PA posts as per the work load and are in the total sanctioned strength. Thus, LRPAs are norm based i.e.. 10% of the strength in the PA cadre.

Accordingly, the vacancy in the LRPA post do become the part and parcel of the vacancy assessed for the operative post. Hence, the vacancy in LRPA Posts also come under share of other direct recruitment.

Hence, it is inevitable to identify the LRPA Posts lying vacant for more than one year along with the total number of the operative post identified for surrendering in the ADR PLAN to fulfill the target.

Surrendering the Posts of regular PAs to meet the target in full and reducing there after the LR strength proportionately is far fetching and is liable to be an anomaly of its unique kind. Because, surrendering of the Posts equivalent to the target figure and extending the abolition of further as cumulative and sequel effect does not exist anywhere in the other department.

The ADR plan just stipulated the surrendering of the post in one straight stroke to achieve the target and does not envisage any double tire abolition of consequential effect to inflate the target / prescribed figure. Hence the post surrendered from PA post should comprise the  regular post  and  LR post.

The resultant saving of the government due to non filling up of the LR post is same as that  of the regular post. Thus in the division cited, the  total  PA post is required to be identified as 19 plus 2 LRPA and not 21 PA and 2 LRPA. The ADR plan target of 21 can be met legitimately without resorting to the double tier reduction of 23 posts which is lacking legitimacy against the back drop of ADR stipulation as well as the spirit of the policy governing the optimization of vacancies.

Request the august forum to rectify the moralities and the quantum of PA Posts identified for abolition and kept ready for surrendering owing to Stay orders.

SUBJECT 13 :

Request for following uniform procedures in calculating the interest of HBA by excluding the high rate of interest.

As per the rule on the subject, the sanctions of HBA should invariably stipulate a higher rate of interest at 2.5% above prescribed rates with the relaxation that if conditions attached to the sanction are fulfilled, rebate of interest to the extent of 2.5% will be allowed.

In some Regions, the 2.5% of rebate is allowed if the conditions attached to the sanctions are fulfilled upto the point of repaying the Principle amount itself. Thus, the Interest rate is calculated in the normal rate and installments/recovery of Interest ordered accordingly.

On other hand, in some Regions, the higher rate of Interest is levied upto the last installment of Interest recovery and rebate is allowed only after ensuring the conditions attached to the sanction are fulfilled untill this point of time.

Request the august forum for uniform procedures to the favour of officials

                                                                                                              [R.SARAVANAN]

                                                             Assistant General Secretary,

                                                          Member (staff side), RJCM,

                                                                                Tamilnadu.

SUBJECT 14 :

Request for bailing out officials who have been slapped with recovery to the tune of several lakhs for non-adherence of rules relating to granting of Postage concession to the Registered News papers.

As per the report of the Audit in various places during the past two years, the pilferage of Department Revenue due to sanction of Postage concession to the Registered News Papers not registered with the Registrar of News Papers is engaging serious attention and recovery of the loss to the officials at fault ranging from Dealing Assistants to the Head of the Divisions, are ordered.

The mandatory condition of getting registered the News Papers with the Registrar came into force from 2008, as per the DG orders. But the recoveries are ordered in respect of the Registered News Papers that were in existence prior to 2008 and whose currency of license were intact without break is required to be reviewed. The question of issuing fresh license does not arise in these cases whose currency of previous registration is well in force and renewed in time. Therefore, imposing the stipulations of 2008 cannot be insisted.

Request the chair to seek exemptions to the audit objections where the imposition of 2008 orders were not required.