General Secretary's Desk
Com K.V. Sridharan, General Secretary, Com K. Ragavendran, Secretary General NFPE and Com. P. Rajanayagam, General Secretary, Postal Accounts met the Secretary, Posts on 26.2.2009 and discussed various issues. Some of the outcome is as follows;
i. Attention will be given to study the cadre restructuring proposals. We stressed that the Postmaster Cadre proposal of the department shall be linked with the cadre review since it is interconnected. The Secretary informed that both cannot be interlinked but agreed to consider the cadre review proposals positively. We firmly conveyed that unless the LSG officials are granted with pay band 2, the proposal of Postmasters' cadre cannot be welcomed. The Secretary assured to supply the details of the proposal for further study and discussions.
ii. We conveyed our concern about the non grant of exemption to Postal department from the purview of screening committee by the DOPT on 16.02.09. The Secretary told that she is not abolishing any posts but now ordering to fill up 9000 vacant posts for the years up to 2009 and sending proposals to Finance Ministry to cause special revival sanction to fill up the remaining posts. The screening committee is being lifted for all CG departments with effect from 1.4.2009.She assured that she will take all efforts to fill up all the remaining vacant posts shortly.
iii. The GDS committee final decisions will be implemented as soon as possible. It is expected to be finalized shortly. However the Secretary has not agreed to reconsider the decision on bonus ceiling to GDS.
iv. Revised Direct Recruitment Rules for Postal Assistant is finalized. According to the revised rules, the outside candidates' who have secured a minimum of 60% marks in Plus 2 examination are eligible to apply for the recruitment for Postal Assistant cadre. An examination will be conducted in every circle and selection will be made on the basis of the merit list in the said examination.
v. The JAO qualified officials may be accommodated in the adhoc vacancies in the Postal Accounts either in their home circles or other circles if requested. The Secretary has not agreed to send them to DOT on regular absorption.
vi. The Secretary assured to consider the removal of ceiling limit of 60 hours per month in the case of engagement of retired short duty personals in order to meet the shortage of staff.
2. MEETING WITH DDG ESTABLISHMENT
The General Secretary and the Secretary General NFPE met the DDG Establishment on 23.2.2009 and discussed various issues. The following are the important items.
i. With regard to grant of mileage allowance to System Administrators, We insisted full grant of road mileage allowance without any restrictions. The feasibility of granting road mileage allowance as per the Finance ministry's order for the journeys within urban areas and grant of TA/DA as per the TA rules for other areas will be explored.
ii. On 13.1.2009, the Secretary assured to reconsider the case of recovery ordered to the APM Accounts and PO & RMS Accountants due to excess fixation of pay made for the Postmen after the Fifth Pay Commission. The DDG assured to process the case.
iii. He assured to process the cadre review proposals submitted by the staff side at the earliest.
iv. We requested to take up the case once again with nodal ministries for taking the special allowance granted to the PO & RMS Accountants for pay fixation benefits on promotion and to stop recovery of over payment ordered in some circles. He assured to consider our proposals.
v. The introduction of three ACPs will be expedited after the receipt of DOPT orders on granting three promotions.
3. PROPOSAL ON POSTMASTER CADRE MOVED BY THE DEPARTMENT
We had a discussion with Sri V.C.Kajla, Director (SPN) on 23.2.2009 and discussed about the proposal of the department about the introduction of separate Postmaster cadre. The following proposal is in the offing.
i. In the present supervisory posts viz. LSG, HSG II, HSG I, 30 percent posts will be identified as Postmaster cadre posts. At present about 38 percent of the supervisory posts are the postmaster posts in LSG. Among the supervisory posts, 30% will be earmarked for Postmaster cadre and 70% posts will remain as supervisory posts.
ii. The existing LSG officials will be asked to exercise option about their willingness either to continue in the supervisory posts or to opt for postmaster cadre. The option now exercised is final and cannot be altered.
iii. If more officials opt for Postmaster cadre (above 30%), the selection will be made among them and declared them belonging to the newly formed Postmaster cadre. In case of less volunteers (below 30%), the unfilled up posts will be filled up by conducting competitive examination among Postal Assistants (like FTP).
iv. Thereafter, whenever any vacancy arises in the Postmasters cadre, it will be filled only through examination as stated above.
v. The remaining 70% supervisory posts will be managed by seniority cum fitness and no element of examination will be there. Those supervisors have no chance to become the Postmasters if they do not exercise option at the initial stage.
vi. Similarly, in HSG II and HSG I, 30% posts of Postmasters will be earmarked for the Postmaster cadre. The Officials opted to Postmaster cadre in LSG will be promoted to these posts by seniority cum selection and thus the postmasters cadre will have a separate channel of promotion.
vii. The remaining 70% in HSG II and HSG I will be filled with the officials opted for the general line.
viii. A new promotional avenue has been created for the Postmaster and Supervisors cadre. There are about 116 Group B Postmasters available at present. Among them30% posts will be earmarked for Postmaster cadre officials as regular and next hierarchical promotion. They will be promoted without writing any examination to these posts.
ix. The remaining 70% Group B Postmaster posts will be filled up by competitive examination among both the Postmaster cadre and other supervisory officials. Any supervisor can write the exam pertaining to the Group B Postmasters. Thus one line of promotion has been extended to these Postmasters cadre officials.
x. These Group B Postmasters will be promoted as Chief Postmasters in Group A cadre.
The above are the tentative proposals as explained by the Director (SPN). When we enquired about the pay scale for the Postmasters posts etc, we have been told that there is no change in the pay scale and the LSG will remain on in the Pay band I since the DOPT will not accept for any higher pay to any cadre and the proposal is being drafted with only the above contents. If this proposal is not linked with the cadre review suggested by the staff side, this will not have any desirable result except dividing the supervisory cadres into two parts.
4. MEETING WITH MEMBER (P)
Today (5.3.09), we had a meeting with Member (P) to discuss about the pendency of pending TA, OTA, Medical claims etc. The DDG (PAF), Director (SR) were also present. We have handed over all the materials collected about the pending personal claims since 2003 and demanded immediate settlement. The issue has been seriously discussed and it was assured to obtain immediate reports from all circles to ascertain the exact funds requirements for further action.
5. OTHER ISSUES
(i) Dearness Allowance: -
The cabinet Committee on Economic affairs cleared 6 % increase in the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees & pensioners with effect from 01.01.2009. The revised D.A. will be 22% payable from 01.01.2009. Arrears will be paid alongwith March 2009 salary.(ii) A C P - Three Promotions: - The DOPT (Personnel) has finalized the orders on three ACP promotions and forwarded the file to Election Commission for approval. Orders are expected next week.
(iii) DDG level meetings on ATR: -
We have submitted our notes for discussions in the meetings. The Director (SR) has also communicated to all DDG's for holding meeting with us as per the decision of the Secretary, Posts on 13.01.2009. The meetings are expected to be convened soon.(iv) Re-verification of Membership: -
Fresh verification for membership will be ordered soon by the Department of Post based on the verdict of the Honble High Court of Madras. The file has gone to DOPT for approval and on its clearance, the Department will cause orders finalizing the dates and details of verification. Instead of DDOs it may be the divisional authorities to receive, scrutinize and declare the decisions of verification of membership. Let us prepare to prove our strength once again with more desired results.(v) Staff Welfare Board: -
The next Postal Services Staff Welfare Board meeting will be held shortly. The Secretary General, NFPE has submitted the following issues for discussion.(a) Proper auditing of Circle welfare fund.
(b) Ensuring regularity of meetings of Circle wel fare board.
(c) Change in procedure of cultural meet
(d) Payment of arrears to recreation clubs.
(e) Photo ID cards for occupants of Inspection Quarters.
(f) Hike in service charges for occupants of In spection Quarters.
(g) Excursion distance.
(vi) GDS Committee: -
The Department has finalized the proposals on the GDS Committee and the recommendations of Gopinath Committee. However till 05.03.09, the file has yet to be cleared by the Joint Secretary & financial Advisor to Department of Post before submission to Ministers. The unions are not called for any discussions. The recommendations the Gopinath Committee, as leant, has been accepted in toto by the Postal Board and is being processed. The proposed strike of GDS union from 03.03.09 has been deferred and the NFPE and it affiliates have already extended solidarity action of holding demonstrations etc. The delay over the non payment of due arrears to GDS is deplorable.(Vii) Group D Training:-
The PTC Saharanpur has been asked to finalise the training module within a fortnight.(Viii) PO Buildings & Post Attached Quarters: -
The DDG (EStt.) Sri Khanna informed today (05.03.09) that based on our reference, detailed revised guidelines on P.O buildings & Quarters with revised schedule of accommodation, financial provisions has been sent to all the Heads of Circle. The Copy of the orders will be exhibited in our Web site next week after getting the copy from him.(ix) Study Tour To German: -
The proposed from tour to German from 9 to 12th March 2009 has been deferred due to non clearance form M.O.F. This may take place in third/last week of this month.(x) Appeal To Divisions/Branches: -
The Branches which have not remitted any donations to CHQ as prescribed @ Rs.20/- per membership are requested to remit the amount without fail. Similarly the branch secretaries who have not submitted the proformas are requested to forward the same by next post, treating this as a Special reminder. The Cooperation of the branches is highly solicited.Let us meet in the next,
With Holi greetings,
Comradely yours,
(K. V. Sridharan)
General Secretary
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