For the benefit of our Ministerial cadre!

4th Floor, GST Bhawan, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380006

Running Text

Congratulations and welcome to the new AIB team! Let us usher in an era of revolution against the injustice meted out against the Ministerial cadre!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Date:- 23.02.2012
Dear Comrades,

The agitational programme announced by the Joint Action Committee has claimed its first victim, in the form of cancellation of the Central Excise Day celebrations at Pune Zone. While acknowledging the fact that the administration over there has taken suo-motto action, respecting the sentiments of the officers decision to boycott the celebration, it is necessary for the members in other zones to take inspiration from that and ensure that the agitational programme is a success.

A copy of the official circular is placed below for information.



Comradely Yours,

Thomas Mony,
Secretary General

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

AGITATION - CHARTER OF DEMANDS


Date:- 21st February, 2012
Dear friends in service,

By now most of you are aware that as a last resort, this Association had no other choice, but to embark upon a agitational programme in order to draw the attention of the Board in addressing the unfulfilled demands of the cadre in General and that of the Cadre Restructuring in particular.  Ample calls are being received from various quarters regarding the charter of demands for the agitational programme.  It was decided in the meeting of the Joint Action Committee which was constituted under CBEC that primarily the submission made by the JAC on 25.01.2011 with regard to Cadre Restructuring needs immediate attention of the Board as well as DG, HRD. 


Members may recall that the Joint Action Committee had on 25.01.2011, submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Board bringing forth the various demands of all the constituent associations, for incorporation in the Cadre review proposal, which forms the major part of the charter of demands. The demands of our Association in the said proposal are as under :-

1.      Implementation of a Hierarchical structure as recommended by the 6th CPC, by upgrading/re-designating existing posts.

(grant GP of 7600 to Sr. CAO, 6600 to CAO, 4800 to AO & 5400 after 4 yrs., and 4600  to DOS)
2.      No abolition of posts in the Ministerial cadre.
(Creation of addl. Posts in entry level post of  TA & also in the grade of STA)
3.      One time Relaxation for filling up of all posts created in Cadre Restructuring by promotion only.

Apart from the above demands, there are certain other long-pending demands affecting the entire cadre throughout the country, which are yet to be settled by the Board. Most of these demands were taken up for discussion on 12th July, 2011, by the then Hon’ble Chairman and the minutes/ outcome of the discussion is already placed on the blog in the previous posts. Though a few of them have been considered favourably and settled, majority of them are still pending. The major demands which remain unsettled are as under.

1.      Holding of DPC meeting for promotion to the grade of CAO
2.      Revision/amendment of Recruitment Rules to the grades of CAO and AO
3.      Upgradation of Payscales of DOS and AO
4.      Circulation of All India Seniority list of Administrative Officers by incorporating ad-hoc promotees too in the list.
5.      Granting regular promotion in the grade of Administrative Officers & immediate withdrawal of the ad-hoc promotion executive instruction.
6.      Determination of nature of duties and responsibilities for all posts of Ministerial cadre
7.      Extension of benefit of pay fixation on promotion from OS to AO during the period from 01.01.1996 till 05.06.2002 (or whichever date prior to the date when existing OS were re-designated as Administrative Officers) etc., etc.
8.      Early finalization of the seniority dispute pending decision in the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
9.      Grant of Rs. 2800/- grade pay to the Tax Assistants as the Fifth Pay Commission had recommended a pay scale of Rs. 4500-7000/- to UDCs in Railways, Accounts Department and Central Excise.  Though the same has been extended in Railways and Accounts Department, the UDCs of Central Excise have been denied similar benefit on the ground that they are common category posts. (Matter being followed up through RTI to Department of Expenditure)

Many of you might be aware that the cadre review proposal of CBDT has been approved by the Dept. of Expenditure and the DOPT and is expected to be sent for cabinet approval shortly. Their proposal includes a modified hierarchical structure for the Ministerial cadre, as recommended by the 6th CPC. Not only that, the Indian Meterological Department, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Geological survey of India have all restructured their Ministerial cadres in terms of the recommendations of the 6th CPC. 

1. Order issued by Indian meterological Department
2. Order issued by Department of Atomic Energy (Part - I)
3. Order issued by Department of Atomic Energy (Part - II)
4. Cadre Restructuring Proposal of CBDT
5. Cadre Restructuring Proposal of GSI

 However, despite our repeated efforts, the    DG, HRD of CBEC is not ready to agree with this demand for a change in the hierarchical structure, which is most unfortunate.   Ours will be the only department where such a change has not been considered/proposed which shall have a long lasting bearing on the career prospects of officers working in the grades of Administrative Officers and Deputy Office Superintendents.  What more to predict, this setback shall have its bearing in the future Pay Commissions as the post of AO and DOS shall never be treated as common category posts for the sake of claiming parity in replacement scales etc.


Secondly, the proposal for holding DPC to fill up the vacant posts in the grade of CAO has not been approved by the UPSC during the last 5 years, owing to which 110 vacancies have remained unfilled out of the 155 sanctioned posts & many of our esteemed members who were serving in the grade of Administrative Officer have retired by drawing the last grade pay of Rs. 4,600/-.  Despite our numerous visits, correspondences & efforts put in, the same is not being held for the reason that the UPSC is pointing out deficiencies every single time the file is sent to them.  It defies logic as to why the Board is bent upon submitting an incomplete proposal to the UPSC in the first place so many times.   It is also pertinent to mention here that incase of compiling information required with regard to other Group ‘A’ DPCs, the Board insists for the reports through special messenger whereas in the instant case, no such efforts have been taken to boost the career advancement of the cadre.

         
   It is felt that until and unless, we express our resentment through an agitational programme like the one now proposed, these demands will never be heard nor fulfilled. It is my assessment that all the members of this cadre, right from the grade of LDC to that of AO have been severely affected directly or indirectly and the ensuing cadre restructuring will only further the agony. Therefore, it is requested that before its too late, all the members should wholeheartedly participate in the proposed course of agitational programme in order to achieve a better future for our cadre.  UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.   Its high time, each and every member of the cadre honours the Association’s CALL.

           
 Many of us may be aspiring to jump into the Executive cadre, and hoping to dump the existing cadre in whatever condition it may be.  However, may I remind each one of you that till you are in service and post retirement too, the services of the Ministerial Cadre shall be required, and hence in the overall welfare of the Department & the Cadre may I request each one of you to voluntarily and wholeheartedly pledge support and solidarity to the cause until all our demands are met.   

          
  Before concluding, I wish to make a special mention that the function of 24th February, 2012 is surely a family function as stated by many of the officers who have called the local Associations for discussions on the issue, but in the family why is it that only the Group ‘B’, ‘C’ and erstwhile ‘D’ cadres are being made the sacrificial lambs.  DOP&T has clearly stated that creating a hierarchical structure in the Ministerial cadre is the onus of the Board and they do not have any objection to the same.  Astonishing is the fact that the Head of the Family is not sensitive to our issues & we are compelled to continue with the agitation thrust upon each one of us.

         
   Its now or never, and once Cadre Restructuring is approved in the existing format, the Heads of the family may retire graciously leaving behind a dying cadre and hence the onus of leading the entire cadre is being put upon all the responsible Ministerial officers in the cadre of Administrative Officer and Deputy Office Superintendent.         

Trustfully yours,

Thomas Mony
Secretary General

Monday, February 13, 2012

JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE- NOTICE OF AGITATION

Pune, the 13th February, 2012
Dear members,
On behalf of all the Administrative Officers & Deputy Office Superintendents of our cadre, this Association has all along been taking up the cause of their pay parity issues with the Board and other concerned Departments with nothing much to gain.
 
In the preliminary discussions with the Board officials, the Association was given to understand that any issue relating to pay matters would not form a part of the Cadre Restructuring proposal.  All the Executive Office bearers of our Association had from day one insisted for a four tier Ministerial hierarchy which would be in consonance to the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations and considering the fact that the Department i.e. CBEC has embarked upon Cadre Restructuring, in the overall interest of the cadre, this Association had submitted a self explanatory proposal to the Board to consider creation of posts in the Ministerial hierarchy.   
However, nothing positive has come up even though several other Central Government Departments like Income Tax, Indian Meteorological Department, Department of Atomic Energy, Geological Survey of India etc., have upgraded the post of existing posts of Administrative Officers thereby granting justice to their Ministerial officers.  Non-upgradation of the existing posts of Administrative Officers and Deputy Office Superintendents in CBEC would mean that these cadres would stand to loose permanently in future and Ministerial Officers will not be able to claim parity with their counterparts if silence is still maintained on this front.
Equally annoying is the fact that the date for DPC for promotion to the grade of Chief Accounts Officer has not yet been fixed by UPSC.   It is time and again being informed that discrepancies are being pointed out by UPSC and the Board is communicating in turn to the various field formations seeking reports and compliances, which have not yet been complied with fully.  Ironical is the situation, for information needs to be sent by members of our cadre and incase Inspectors/ Superintendents are manning the Confidential /Vigilance sections of the respective Commissionerates, the Ministerial officers sensitive to the issue can follow up issues locally and get the needful done.  Hon'ble Member(P&V) has assured that the said issue shall be put to rest soon.  
Other vital issue which is of concern to the cadre is related to the ad-hoc promotions being granted to Administrative Officers and their names not being included in the seniority list of Administrative Officers.  This issue was discussed at length with the Hon'ble Member(P&V) who has assured that the Board's instruction shall be superceded with fresh instructions, thereby facilitating regular promotions to the grade of Administrative Officers resulting in their names being included in the seniority list.
Filing and follow up of Early Hearing Petition in the Hon'ble Supreme Court on seniority cases and implementation of Hon'ble Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment too were in the agenda for discussion.  The nature of duties with regard to all posts in the Ministerial cadre was also discussed at length.  
The corridors of North Block was full of rumors that the Cadre Restructuring of CBEC has gone through.  None of the Staff Associations were being informed of the queries raised by DOP&T, nor was there any amount of transparency in the entire matter.  Aggrieved with such developments, all the Associations i.e. Inspector/ Ministerial/ Group 'C' Central Excise and Customs assembled together, deliberated upon the issues of concern with regard to their respective cadres and finally resolved to issue a Notice of Agitation to all concerned authorities seeking timely action on the earlier common submissions made on 25.01.2011 by the Joint Action Committee. A copy of the resolution passed in the JAC and the programme of action decided, alongwith the notices served can be accessed by clicking here.
The respective zonal units are requested to serve a copy of the notice of agitation to the respective cadre controlling Chief Commissioners and endorse a copy of the same to the undersigned for information.Through this message, the Association solicits 100% support from each and every member of the Ministerial cadre without which support the pending demands shall never be met with.  Its my personal experience that Ministerial officers in the grade of Administrative Officers and Deputy Office Superintendents seldom support such an agitational move as they treat themselves to be the administrators, but in the instant situation, if the support is not 100% then the All India Association will not take any blame in the ruining of the Ministerial Cadre, which is likely to take place in the given situation and format we are placed in. The least Administrative Officers can do is to provide the DDO certificates to the Association to furnish the same in the Board for renewal of recognition prior to 28.02.2012.
Hoping to receive cent percent support to the call given by the Joint Action Committee and expecting that the Ministerial Cadre is able to hold its hierarchical structure with pride and due importance, I remain,
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Mony
Secretary General

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Dear Members,

Another list of deficiencies pointed out by UPSC for which the information from the cadre controlling authorities are yet to be received is placed below. The respective individuals and zonal units may kindly pursue the same and ensure that a reply is furnished to the Board immediately. The order can be accessed by clicking here.

Yours sincerely,

Thomas Mony
Secretary General