NFPE SEEKS FORMATION OF ANOMALY COMMITTEE

NFPE SEEKS FORMATION OF DEPARTMENTAL ANOMALY COMMITTEE ON 6TH CPC PAY ANOMALIES

 

WE HAVE RAISED 12 PAY ANOMALIES FOR SETTLEMENT

 

GDS COMMITTEE AND GOPINATH COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING DISCUSSED BY THE POSTAL BOARD 

 

NFPE SUBMITTED ITS PROPOSALS SEEKING FURTHER MODIFICATIONS OF GOPINATH COMMITTEE REPORT

 

PROPOSALS OF POSTAL BOARD WILL GO TO DOPT FIRST AND THEN TO MOF FOR ACCEPTANCE BEFORE GOING TO CABINET FOR APPROVAL FOR IMPLEMENTATION

 

 

Dear Comrades!

 

1.  Consequent on issue of Government Orders for formation of National as well as Departmental level Anomaly Committees on 6th Pay Commission related anomalies, NFPE has requested the Department of Posts to constitute such a Committee to settle certain anomalies arising out of the implementaion of Sixth CPC. We have pointed out 12 such Anomalies for rectification. The letter written to the Secretary [P] in this matter is also reproduced below for the information of our membership:

 

2. GDS Committee and the proposals of Gopinath Committee are being studied by the Postal Services Board. We have submitted our proposals for further modifications to the Secretary [P] and also for acceptance of those proposals which are positive in Gopinath Committee proposals in comparison with the Nataraja Murti Committee. We do not know as to whether there will be further sessions of discussions. The time is also running out to the declaration of General Elections causing all round concern as to whether it will be possible to implement the pay hike before the code of conduct comes into play. The Department is being requested by us to act swiftly to complete the process for implementation. However we would welcome a final discussion before the proposals are sent to DOPT. The letter written to Secretary [P] in this matter is reproduced below:

 

1. LETTER ON SEEKING FORMATION OF ANOMALY COMMITTEE.

 

PF-05(d)/2009             Dated 30^th January 2009

 

To

 

The Secretary

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan

New Delhi – 110001

 

 

Sub: Constitution of Departmental Anomaly Committee to settle the anomalies

         arising out of 6^th CPC recommendations – reg.

Ref:  DOPT Order No.11/2/2008-JCA dated 12.01.2009.

 

Sir,

 

This Federation draws your kind attention to the orders of the DOPT cited above and seeks your intervention for setting up the Departmental Anomaly Committee to settle the following anomalies which arose on implementation of 6^th CPC recommendations.

 

1. TBOP / BCR Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant: The 6^th Pay Commission did not take into account the fact that the TBOP/BCR PA/SA cadre of Postal are placed at a lower level in comparison to the same cadre in Telecom. This happened because while the Department of Telecom after the implementation 5^th CPC recommendations elevated the pay scales of both TBOP and BCR to the next scale of pay. The Postal Department did not do the same. This anomaly was not taken into account by the 6^th Pay Commission at all. The enclosure 'Annexure – I' elaborately discusses this anomaly.

 

2. PO & RMS Accountants: The PO&RMS Accountants cadre is not only denied a higher pay scale but also the Special Allowance drawn by them is not taken into account as special pay at the time of fixation on promotion. The Special Allowance granted to JAO Qualified officials are taken into account for fixation benefit and the absence of a similar treatment to PO&RMS Accountants is an anomaly. 'Annexure – II' enclosure deals the issue elaborately.

 

3. Technical Postal Assistant: The cadre of Postal Machine Assistant Grade- I was renamed as Technical Postal Assistant in the Department of Posts. The Recruitment Rules for this cadre prescribe 'Diploma' as the minimum essential technical qualification. This cadre should have been placed in the PB-2 with Grade Pay 4200/- but escaped any mention by the 6^th CPC by omission. A note is enclosed as 'Annexure – III' that elaborates the anomaly of omission of grant of PB-2 with Grade Pay 4200/- to this cadre by the 6^th Pay Commission in contrast to the offering of the same scale of pay invariably to different 'Diploma' qualified cadres elsewhere.

 

4.  Head Mail Peon: The cadre of Head Mail Peon were always on par with Postmen/Mailguard up to 4^th CPC. This was altered after the recommendations of 5^th CPC when the Postmen / Mailguard were given higher scale of pay through fast tract committee. The relativity got disturbed since then. The 6^th CPC also not set right the anomaly. A note is enclosed as 'Annexure – IV' in which this anomaly is discussed in detail.

 

5. Charge Hand: The Charge Hand has been merged with the Artisan Grade I and placed in the scale of PB-1 with Grade Pay 2800/-. This placed both the feeder cadre the Artisan Grade I and its promotional cadre the Charge Hand in the same level. The Pay commission should have placed the Charge Hand in PB-2 with Grade Pay 4200/-. The enclosed 'Annexure – V' narrates this anomaly in detail.

 

6. Artisan Grade I: The cadre of Artisan Grade I which is a common cadre including Railways and Defense was placed in 4000-6000 pay scale by 5^th Pay Commission in Department of Posts as against 4500-7000 in Railways and Defense. Even though this was further enhanced to 5000 – 8000 in Railways w.e.f. 1.1.1996, the Defense Artisan Grade I remained in 4500-7000 only. But the same cadre in Postal remained in 4000-6000 only and only the 6^th CPC has sorted out the anomaly and provided pre-revised 4500-7000 to this cadre. This justifies the parity from 1.1.1996 as like Railways and Defense at least the pay scale of 4500-7000 for Artisan Grade I in the Department of Posts w.e.f. 1.1.1996. The issue is detailed in the 'Annexure – VI' enclosed.

 

7. Date Entry Operator: Data Entry Operator in Department of Posts are placed in the pre-revised pay scale of 3200-4900 while the same common cadre of officials in other CG Departments were placed at the higher level of 4000-6000 as recommended by the 6^th CPC. 'Annexure – VII' deals this issue in detail.

 

8. Cash Handling Allowance to PO Treasurers: As per the Directions of MOF, the Postal Department vide its letter No. 4-3/2006-PCC dt. 27.04.07 has requested the Sixth Pay Commission for favourable consideration of the proposal. The Department has advocated in the proposal that the Treasurers in Post offices are handling heavy cash and they require to be paid at the same rate at which cashiers in administrative offices are paid. However there is no mention on this in its report by the Sixth CPC. The anomaly existing in the grant of Cash Handling allowance between the Post office Treasurer & RMS cashier shall be removed and the PO Treasurer may also be called as cashier for this purpose. The cash handling allowance may be common for PO Treasurer & RMS cashiers and the age old disparity may be set aside.

 

9. Laboratory Technicians in Postal Dispensaries: The Sixth CPC recommended to bring the Lab technician in the entry grade in PB2 in the scale of 9300 – 34800 with Grade pay RS. 4200/- and the Government has accepted the same vide its notification dated 29. 8.2008 in Part B section II in page 46. Accordingly, the two ACP promotions  now available to this cadre should be granted the Grade pay of Rs.4600 and Rs. 4800 but not been granted by the DDOs due to absence of clear-cut orders on the subject by the department. This non-implementation has caused an anomaly that needs to be settled and it is also requested that their nomenclature be changed as like Railways viz., Lab Supdt Grade III (entry Grade), Grade II and Grade I and Chief Lab Supdt to ensure three ACPs in future.

 

10. Medical Store Keepers: The Medical Stores Keepers working in the Postal dispensaries are also not considered at par with other Central Govt departments. Now the Sixth CPC has considered their demand in Chapter 7.6.10 and 3.8.20. They are placed in Pay Band 2 along with Grade pay of Rs.4200 for the entry grade. They have been granted promotion as Senior Stores Keeper Grade I with the grade pay of Rs.4600. Since this has not been specifically ordered by the department, the same has not been implemented to the staff working in the Postal dispensaries and thus causing an anomaly that needs to be rectified.

 

11. Staff Nurse: For the Staff nurse, the Sixth CPC upgraded their pay from 5000 – 8000 to 7450 – 11500 in pay Band II with grade pay of Rs.4600 vide chapter 3.8.15. The same has been implemented but the respective pay scales for ACP1 and ACP 2 in Pay band 2 of Rs.4800 and Rs.5400 have not been ordered so far resulting non fixation to the officials promoted under ACP earlier.

 

12. Sorters in DAP: The cadre of Sorters are the Group 'C' employees who were on par with Postmen cadre during 4^th CPC times. But this cadre continue to be in the lower level despite the fact that Postmen were granted 3050-4590 after V CPC [Government improved so]; and 3200-4900 after the VI CPC to cause disturbance to the relativity. More over the Group D are upgraded to the level of Sorters now. Actually the Sorter cadre was the promotional cadre to Group D. Now both the Group D [upgraded] and their promotional cadre, the Sorters, are in the same pay scale level. The Restructuring Committee formed by the Department of Posts also had earlier in the year 1998 recommended for merger/upgradation of Sorters with LDC cadre to be placed in 3050-4590 scale. This recommendation is yet to be implemented. The relativity which thus stands totally disrupted and the anomaly caused has to be settled by merger of this Sorter cadre in DAP with that of the LDC cadre and be placed in the pay band -1 with 1900/- Grade Pay.

 

This Federation requests your kind action for constitution of Departmental Anomaly Committee and to settle the above anomalies arising out of implementation of 6^th CPC Report.

 

 

Thanking you,

 

 

Yours faithfully

              

Sd/- 

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

 

Encl: Annexure I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII.

 

 

2. NFPE LETTER ON FURTHER MODIFICATIONS OF GDS COMMITTEE

 

PF- 15/2009    Dated 30^th January 2009

 

 

To

 

Ms.Radhika Doraiswamy,

Secretary 

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan

New Delhi – 110001

 

 

Sub: Modification of GDS Committee recommendations – reg.

 

 

Madam,

 

 

The following issues raised by NFPE before the Senior Officers Committee on 18.12.2008 stand accepted through its Report submitted to the Department:

 

1. Present DA Formula may continue.
2. Retirement age 65 will continue.
3. PLB ceiling as fixed by Government from time to time shall continue to be applicable to the GDS also.
4. Date of Effect is 1.1.2006.
5. No decision to change any existing trade union rights related issues because they are out of terms of reference of the Nataraja Murti Committee.
6. The Gopinath Committee has pointed out that the recommendation of GDS Committee that the GDS Mailmen be treated as a wasting group may not be completely feasible.
7. No relocation of existing BOs on radial or distance basis which may cause resentment among villagers. Opening up new offices in future alone can be under the distance factor.
8. GDS age limit to appear LGO examination for PA/SA vacancies is recommended to be enhanced as 35 instead of 28 and the marks criterion is liberalised as 50% marks in 10+2 instead of not below the marks secured by the last direct recruit in PA/SA cadre in the same year.
9. Group Insurance Scheme enhanced to monthly recovery of 50/- for an insurance cover of Rs.50,000/-.

 10. The historical parity with Mail Overseer, Postman and Group D for computing pro-rata wages to GDS SPM/BPM, GDS MD/SV and other Categories of GDS is accepted in principle but calculated on the basis of the 6^th CPC recommendations instead of the implemented pay scales by the Government of India.

 

 

Cadre	Nataraja Murti	Gopinath Committee	NFPE Demand
GDS SPM		4800-100-7800	5075/- + 3%
GDS BPM [75 Pts]	2745-50-4245	2880-60-4680	3045/- + 3%
-do- [75 – 100]	3660-70-5760	3840-80-6240	4060/- + 3%
-do- [Above 100	4575-85-7125	4800-100-7800	5075/- + 3%
GDS MD/SV [3 Hrs]	2665-50-4165	2840-60-4640	2880/- + 3%
-do- [3Hrs 45 Mt	3330-60-5130	3550-75-5800	3840/- + 3%
-do- [Above 3.45	4220-75-6470	4500-90-7200	4800/- + 3%
GDS MC [3 Hrs]	2295-45-3695	2295-50-3795	2805/- + 3%
-do- [ 3-3.45 Hrs]	2870-50-4370	2870-60-4670	3740/- + 3%
-do- [Above 3.45]	3635-65-5585	3640-75-5890	4675/- + 3%

 

 

The Nataraja Murti Committee has constructed pay scales without taking into account the 5% extra TRCA granted to GDS. It has also taken comparison with that of the pre-revised scale of Mail Overseer and Postmen instead of upgraded and revised pay band + Grade Pay of Mail Overseer and Postman.

 

The Gopinath Committee has included the left out 5% TRCA into fixation of TRCA. But Gopinath Committee also taken into account the pre-revised pay level of Mail Overseer Postmen [3200-4290] for BPMs and pre-revised level of pay of Postmen [3050-4290]for GDS MD/SV.

 

11. NFPE demand is on pro-rata basis of the revised pay band of Mail Overseer Postmen for BPMs [PB-1 + Grade Pay 2400/-] and Postmen for GDS MD/SV [PB-1 + Grade Pay 2000/-] as implemented vide Directorate Order No.1-9/2008-PCC dated 15.01.2009. There may not be any difficulty in modifying the TRCA accordingly since there is no difference in the perception of the GDS Committee and Gopinath Committee in maintaining the comparison with the Mail Overseer and Postmen pay scales.

 

We request that the above positive stand of the Committee be accepted and the following further modifications by the Department may be incorporated:

 

 

1. As far as the TRCA suggested to other categories of GDS like GDS MC, Packer etc, the Department should consider comparison with that of the upgraded Group C since that is the minimum scale of pay in existence for regular employees.

 

2. Rate of annual increment shall be @ 3% of the basic TRCA.

 

3. To avoid bunching irrespective of the service rendered, one increment @ two years of service rendered be granted.

 

4. The Service Discharge Benefit Scheme suggested by Nataraja Murti Committee should be accepted and improved with enhanced monthly contribution by the Government. No worker employed under our establishment can be excluded from such a scheme or PF scheme to ensure social security. 

 

5. Though 15 days of salary per every year of service is accepted, the maximum set as 60,000 as recommended by Nataraja Murti Committee is to be enhanced as per the Gratuity Act 1972.

 

6. The omission of payment of Severance Amount to the GDS promoted as Postmen or Group D shall be rectified.

 

7. All the establishment related recommendations of the GDS Committee or the suggestions of the Senior Officers Committee including outsourcing /abolition / closure etc shall be subjected to deeper scrutiny and discussion with the Staff Side before a final position is arrived at by the Department.

 

We therefore request that the issues of wages and allowances as well as the retirement benefits may be finalised immediately with our suggested modifications for acceptance by the Government before the elections as assured by you on 13^th January 2009 during our discussions.  

 

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

 

Sd/-

[K.Ragavendran]

Secretary General

 

 

 

--
K.Ragavendran
Secretary General NFPE