Friday, January 22, 2010

All the existing EDSOs will be downgraded as BOs before 28.2.2010 as there is no much distinction between the functioning of the EDSOs and BOs

Directorate has issued orders vide letter dated 14.1.2010 to take action for downgrading all EDSOs as BOs before 28.2.2010 after considering the recommendations given by the One-man committee chaired by Shri R.S. Nataraja Murti.

Present incumbents holding the post of GDS SPM wil be given protection in the TRCA scale of Rs 4575-85-7125 corresponding to 5 hrs/125 Points. The downgraded EDSO will function with the establishment of GDS SPM, GDS MD/MC depending on the justification for such a post.

It has also been ordered that if there is justification for upgradation into Departmental Sub Office, it can be upgraded by utilizing any surplus post of PA.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Latest News from General Secretary regarding supply of Laptops to Sub Divisions and Revision of Grade Pay to IP/ASP/SP

Directorate is in the process of supplying laptops to Sub Divisional Heads. Directorate vide letter dated 19.01.10 has issued direction to Circles for selection of Vendors and for Placing orders for supply of Laptop to Sub Division.

Exercise for selection of Venders will be complted by 25.01.10 and it is hoped that orders will be plaed in February 2010.

File regarding grant of Grade Pay to IPs/ASPs/SPs is with Finance Ministry and the case is being perused by the Association.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cadre controlling authority for IP&T AFS Group 'B' wil be the DOT

Copy of Department of Posts, letter No 2-15/2009-SPG dated 11.01.2010

Sub : Implementation of amalgamation of Group 'B' Accounts cadre of DoP and DoT.

The undersigned is directed intimate that thge issue relating to cadre control of IP&T AFS Group 'B' has since been decided and the cadre control has been vested with the Member (Finance), Telecom Commission.

In view of the above decision this office DO letters No 209/2009-SPG dated 09.10.2009 and even number dated 13.11.2009 may be treated as cancelled. This office order No 25-31/2009 dated 31.12.2009 is modified to the extent that Heads of Circles will endorse the orders of Accounts cadre officers to the subordinate units. The subordinate units will take congnizance of the orders only after due endorsement by the Heads of Circles.

It may also be ensured that the existing sanctioned strength of IP&T AFS Group 'B' in all Postal accounts offices is maintained at the level existing as on date as per Establishment Division letter No 43-103/2009-P.E.II dated 31.12.2009

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Discussion on revision of Grade Pay and merger of the posts IP/ASP/P.S.Gr. “B” between DoP and our Association

General Secretary was invited for holding discussion on the issue of revision of Grade Pay to IPs from Rs. 4200/- to Rs.4600/- . General Secretary along with Shri S.Ravi CHQ Treasurer and Shri Hari Prasad, former Circle Secretary, Rajasthan Circle participated in the discussion on 04.01.2010. Shri A.K.Sharma DDG (Est) and Shri Rameshwar Rao ADG (Est) represented the Department.

It was argued by the Dept. that IPs were not on the pre-revised pay scale of Rs.6500-10500 as on 1.1.2006. But it was rebutted and made it clear by us that IPs were on Rs.6500/- as on 1.1.2006. Their pay scale was revised, pay fixation done and arrears also drawn as on 1.1.2006. Hence IPs are eligible for revision of Grade Pay as per the orders of MoF memo. Dt. 13.11.2009. It was accepted by the Dept.

Then it was stressed by the Dept. that as per the orders of MoF memo. Dt 13.11.2009 the post of IP and ASP should be merged. Also the Dept. putforth an alternative suggestion of merger of ASP with P.S.Gr. “B”. But we strongly objected to it. We argued that there are only 2 categories in this cadre and if these two posts are merged then our promotional avenue will be closed for ever. Further ASP is a Gazetted cadre which cannot be merged with non-gazetted post of IP which amount to de-promotion. At present an IP will get his promotion to ASP after 10 years of service in IP cadre. Then he has to wait for another 18 years as ASP to get his promotion to P.S. Gr. “B”. If merger is accepted an IP has to wait for a minimum of 25 years to get his next promotion to P.S. Gr. “B”. In other cadres there are so many stages for promotion and they enjoy the benefit of increment in every stage. Such opportunity should be available for IPs also. At present an IP hardly reach P.S. Gr “B”. Many of us retire as ASP only. A few people reach P.S. Gr. “B”. That too they retire before getting non-functional Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/-. Hence it is not acceptable the merger proposal which is detrimental to our promotion. The Dept. side was then convinced and agreed to our following demands.

1. Upgradation of Grade Pay of IP from Rs.4200/- to Rs. 4600/-.
2. Upgradation of Grade Pay ofASP from Rs.4600/- to Rs. 4800/-.
3. Upgradation of Grade Pay of PS Gr. “B” from Rs.4800/- to Rs. 5400/-.

With these recommendations the file is moving to MoF for concurrence. I also met Secretary (Posts) and Member (P) on 04.01.2010 and discussed the issue and they are in favour of us. The progress is being closely monitored.

S.Samuel

General Secretary

POSTAL INSPECTOR - DECEMBER 2009

Justice Denied

The Sixth Central Pay Commission seemingly set right the anomaly in the payscales of Inspector and Assistant Superintendent of Posts that had become pronounced by the unilateral decision of the Govt. to upgrade the Pay scales of the analogous cadre of Inspectors in the CBDT and CBEC. The Commission rightly recognized the need to keep parity with the analogous cadres and accordingly recommended in par 7.6.14upgradation of the pre-revised pay scales ofInspector and Assistant Superintendent Posts by one step ahead.

The cadre of Inspector Posts has been subjected to humiliation at very frequent intervals. When the Fourth Pay commission recommendations were implemented, the Inspectors pay scale and the status enjoyed by them suffered a set back due to downgrading their pay scale and making it almost equal to thepay scale of the operative LSG staff. It took Herculean efforts for more than one decade and the genuine anomaly could be set right only bythe Fifth Pay Commission headed by Justice Rathinavel Pandian and the glory and uniquestatus held by the Inspectors was once againre stored to its right place. Here again, though the Department of Posts was convinced about the need to upgrade the pay scale of InspectorPosts, very little effective steps were taken toremedy the anomaly in time and the cadre of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts were made to suffer the ignominy for more thana decade.

The apathy of the Department of Posts towards the cadre of Inspector Posts is very much explicit in the way the Department has handled the matters relating to this cadre in thepast three decades. Our Association has been rightly projecting the deficiencies and the ineffective approach to the problems. This cadreis made to fight for its genuine rights and most often none of them are conceded and even if certain basic things are accepted, the same is not implemented in right earnest. This cadre has not had the benefit of more than one cadre review, though the rules provided for periodical review of the promotional opportunities available to them. It would be a lengthy repetition to recall every step taken by our Association to implement the accepted recommendations of Second Cadre Review since 1989 and wewonder whether it would be implemented at all. The entire exercise was to improve the career growth of the Inspectors which started to deteriorate after 1980s. Even though the position has grown from bad to worse, the Department could not take any conclusive step to implement the same in the manner best suited to the present situation. But the Department did not lag behind to take care ofthe interests of IPoS officers by constituting six cadre review committees and implementing the tailor made recommendations forthwith. The result, several of our seniors have not even reached the level of P.S. Gr. B even after serving as Inspector and Assistant superintendent Posts for more than 25 years. Even for getting the due Gazetted status to Assistant superintendent Posts, we had to fight for nearly a decade, even though similar status was conferred on analogous cadres in other Departments.

The Department loses no time to acknowledge that it is the cadre of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendent Posts who constitute the back bone only to extract unlimited work from these cadres to successfully implement all the new business ventures. The norms for creation of posts have been thrown to the wind and the Inspectors have been made to procure business for Rural PLI and other business initiatives. The additional time spent by the Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents do have a telling negative impact on the quality of other operative services offered by the Department. But the Department realises a little on this aspect. Atleast the Department should have come to the rescue of the Inspectors and Assistant Superintendent Posts in securing their dignity and honour and parity about the pay scales.

The cadre of Inspector and Assistant Superintendent Posts is once again at the mercy of the Department of Posts and the Ministry of Finance to set right the anomalies arising out of the implementation of the recommendations of Sixth CPC and the subsequent (latest) orders issued by the MOF intheir OM dated 13.11.2009 and 16.11.2009. The recommendations of Sixth CPC to place Inspector Posts on par with Inspectors of CBT/CBEC and Assistants of CSS in the pre-revised scale of pay has been duly accepted by the Govt. We have already brought to the notice ofthe Department the injustice done to the cadre of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendent Posts compared to the equivalent posts in Accounts line and we have sought higher Grade Pay of Rs 4600/- for Inspector Posts and Rs 4800/- for Assistant Superintendent Posts. The Govt. has considered the demand of Inspectors in CBDT/CBEC and Assistants in CSS for anupward revision of their Grade Pay from Rs4200/- to Rs 4600/-and issued orders on 13.11.2009 and 16.11.2009 with retrospective effect. But the demand made by the Inspectors and Assistant Superintendent Posts to the Department of Posts is still to be studied and considered. Though our Association has taken prompt steps to highlight the anomalies, the Department is yet to consider the various options available and settle the same quickly. The inordinate delay in clinching the issue intime would ultimately have drastic impact in the long run leading to losing the parity with analogous cadres which the Sixth Pay Commission felt was justified and accordingly was so gracious to concede.

Unmindful of the enormous work load, this cadre continues to give its best to the Department. But the Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents Posts have no second opinion that the Department treats them in a stepmotherly fashion. We pin our hopes on thepresent Secretary Posts to clinch the issue favourably, lest the parity achieved would fadeaway in course of time.

/S. Samuel/
General Secretary

Click here to read the entire issue