Circular No.1

Dear Comrades,

Sub:- Recent Developments - concerning the cadre- national and the regional issues - reg.

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The Association wishes to inform that the Ministry has granted Grade pay of Rs.4600/- to all the posts in the pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500/-. A copy of the order can be downloaded from the Finance Ministry's website on the following link.

http://finmin.nic.in/6cpc/omdated131109_4600gradepay.pdf

The All India Federation has placed on its website the issues that were discussed in the Meeting held at New Delhi during September-2009, which are reproduced hereunder:-

a. Recognition of the Association :- The issue relating to recognition being a matter of concern for the entire cadre, was discussed and the types of queries raised in the file and the manner in which the said queries were resolved/answered was brought to the notice of all concerned. The then Joint Secretary(Admn) had a requirement of change in name from “Federation” to “Association” and thereafter he wanted to know as to how the Customs name could be incorporated in our Association’s name to which it was brought to his knowledge that the Land Customs is entirely different from the Air Customs. However, the Board desired a change of name to avoid confusion and accordingly the rechristened name as on this letter head was communicated to the Board. Thereafter, it was brought to the Association’s notice that another query was raised as to how our Association is attaining 35 % of the required membership to which suitable reply has been furnished by the Under Secretary and the file is under submission for recognition. The Organizing Secretary emphasized upon the fact that there are various units who have failed to conduct General Body Meetings and have not initiated salary deduction of its members owing to which the recognition issue is still pending finalization for want of achieving the 35 % target. She requested all the members present to initiate steps to interact with such units and activate them to hold General Body meeting and start salary deductions which would facilitate an early recognition.

b. Holding of CAO DPC :- The Association office bearers approached the Hon’ble Joint Secretary (Admn) and during the course of discussion apprised him of the issue relating to delayed holding of CAO DPC owing to which the upward mobility in the Ministerial mainstream gets affected. The Deputy Secretary, Ad.II A was also present during the discussion who informed that information was not received from some of the Commissionerates owing to which the delay occurred. However, an assurance was given that by the end of September, the file would be forwarded to UPSC for fixing a date of DPC.

c. Pay Scale of Admn. Officers and DOS :- Like the cadres of LDC, UDC and TA which got affected during the Cadre Restructuring exercise, the posts of Admn. Officers and DOS stand to get affected post implementation of the VIth Pay Commission recommendations. It was surely taken as a matter of great concern that the Admn. Officers and DOS who have worked for umpteen number of years in the Department are being equated with the STA’s as regards the Grade Pay is concerned, thereby bringing in a sense of resentment. The way files initiated by the Board for grant of higher Grade Pay to the Inspector/Admn. Officers were rejected was discussed. The Association Office Bearers also met the Hon’ble Additional Revenue Secretary who is the Chairman of the Anamoly Committee and apprised him of the genuine grievance faced by the Cadre and the manner in which two hierarchical posts of STAs are being placed in the same Grade Pay. The Secretary General stressed upon the need to have a comparative study of the issue as regards other Departments are concerned and take up the matter strongly with the Board once again. The President simultaneously kept the members informed that CBDT is also having similar demand and is likely to take the agitational path to maintain pressure tactics. Since the recognition of our Association is still pending decision, such a measure would not be possible from our end was the final conclusion. However, the President assured that a revised detailed proposal would soon be sent to the Board.

As already published on the previous blog, the Ministry has granted the grade pay of Rs.4600/- to all the Posts in the pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500/- . However, this is only half the job done. It has not addressed the full concerns of the DOS and AOs as a whole. The AO in P&T Department and the A.A.O(Assistant Accounts Officer) in Railways are drawing a Grade Pay of Rs.4,800/- and hence the AO in our Department is also liable to be paid Rs.4800/- Grade pay. The Commission had recommended that the ministerial cadre shall not be compared with the executive posts and will get pay on par with the Ministerial cadre in the Headquarters organisations. Therefore, we have to get these recommendations implemented so that the AOs can get Grade Pay of Rs.4800/- and the DOS can get Rs.4600/-. Members of the cadre may try and get copies of the notifications/OMs whereby the Grade pay of Rs.4800/- has been granted to the posts in the pre-revised scale of Rs.6500-10500/- in the ministerial cadre from the Railways, P&T, and the Accounts Departments. The same could be placed before the Anamoly Committee for consideration.

REGIONAL ISSUES:-
As regards the regional issues, there are many issues that the association is following up in the past one month or so. The General Secretary and the President are in receipt of many representations from various Officers regarding delay in promotions and grant of MACPS. The issues relating to promotion in the Ministerial cadre, from LDC to TA, TA to STA, STA to DOS and STA to Inspector is on top of the agenda of the association. The matter was taken up with the senior officers. It was informed that the computer exams (speed test), for promotion from LDC to TA is being held this week. The confirmation examination for the Direct recruit TAs had been completed recently and the results have become available now. Therefore, the promotion from the grade of LDC to TA, TA to STA would be done immediately, and the process will be completed positively by second week of December.

As regards the promotion from the grade of STA to DOS and Inspector, it is learnt that there are some hurdles (Excess vacancies taken during the previous years), which the department is trying to settle in an amicable manner and without any bad blood. There are instances were the Officers who are on the verge of retirement and are due for promotions and the same is getting delayed because of one issue. This point was brought to the notice of the Officers and the association has suggested to consider Ad-hoc promotions to these posts, in case regular promotions are not possible at this point in time. The Association has been assured of a positive action on the matter. In this regard, it was also informed that the aggrieved members of the cadre had met the senior officers in an effort to get the grievances settled. It is learnt that they were not received well by the senior officers. Therefore, it is requested that such aggrieved members may kindly keep the association informed before they wish to meet the senior officers, so that the association could help them in one way or other.

The other issue is the participation of the association in the JCM. Though a request has been placed with the department for convening the JCM, no positive response has come so far. Since the department had been cynical of the fact from the beginning, that our association does not have a recognition, this point was not pressed in the meeting with the Senior Officers. The Federation has called upon the association to submit as much as DDO certificates as possible, to achive the goal of recognition, which is running short of 350 members in the effort to achieve 35% membership at the All India level. In this connection, separate letters are being sent to the DDOs for furnishing the certificates to the association, wherever there is 90 to 100% enrolment. Wherever the same is yet to be initiated, the members may kindly enrol themselves and start deductions immediately. The Office bearers will be visiting all the units shortly towards this goal.

With regards,

Yours sincerely,

M.Chokkalingam

General Secretary

All Comments/correspondences may be addressed to karccemoa@gmail.com