HAPPY NEW YEAR '2014

Dear Comrade,

                We wish a very happy, prosperous and meaningful New Year 2014 which can be very significant in your service career.  Now the Cadre Restructuring of the department has been approved and we wish that you all have come to terms with the consequences and the impacts of the Cadre Re-organization of the department, 2013.  To the best of our understanding, it is even more lopsided than we expected.  The benefits are not equally distributed among various cadres.  The ministerial Cadre has once again been subjected to discrimination and neglect.

                We have been striving for a new hierarchy in the administrative setup of the department, ever since the process for Cadre Restructuring was initiated.  We have stressed this very demand on various occasions and even through joint action committee with other ministerial Associations of Customs.  Our demand has been to create the following hierarchy instead of present structure of CAO, AO & DOS:-

(i)  Principal Administrative Officer   -    GP Rs.6600/- (PB-3)

(ii) Administrative Officer Grade-I    -     GP Rs.5400/- (PB-3)

(iii)Administrative Officer Grade-II  -     GP Rs.4800/- (PB-2)

(iv)Administrative Officer Grade-III -     GP Rs.4600/- (PB-2)

We thought that this would have provided some encouragement for ministerial officers to continue with the ministerial cadre.  The Administrative setup would have also been strengthen and the problem of Grade Pay would have been solved.

We have been told that the Cadre Restructuring was not to solve the Grade Pay issue or create new posts.  It was aimed at increasing or reducing the strength in various posts.  However, the outcome is for everyone to see.  We strongly feel that the same yard stick has not been applied to us as it is done for other cadres.

The Association has immediately reacted after circulation of the approved Cadre Restructuring proposal on 18.12.2013 (Representation is linked herewith-Annexure-A letter dated 24.12.13).  We continue to strive for existence of ministerial cadre.

As you would have seen that there has been an addition of strength of 194 in CAO AND 616 IN AO.  This is expected to result in some upward mobility.  However, for that to happen, DPC for promotion to the grade of CAO has to be held in time.  We found that 5 Sub-committees have been constituted by the Board to conduct DPCs for different Group-A posts vide the communication of Board dated 28.11.2013.  

However, unfortunately no Sub-committee was formed to conduct the DPC for CAO which is also a Group-A post.  We immediately took up the issue (representation is linked-Annexure-B letter dated 06.12.13) and subsequently the Sub-Committee No.1 has been entrusted to conduct the DPC for CAO.  We are thankful for Board for taking such decision.

The promotion to Inspector has always been a key area of interest for the ministerial posts at the level of TA & STA.  Although there is an addition of 5040 posts in Inspectors, but no further relaxation has been granted, unlike the earlier Cadre Restructuring.  The Association also took up this issue with the concerned committee looking after the Recruitment Rule and sought the following relaxation (representation is linked-Annexure-C letter dated 17.12.13).

(i)   Lowering of qualifying service from 2 years of STA to one year of STA.

(ii)  Removal of age bar and height bar.

(iii) 100% promotion against all vacancies arising out of Cadre Restructuring.

There is no denying the fact that there is some element of positive reaction among some members of some zones with merger of posts of DOS & STA and creation of Executive Assistant.  There has been some solace in some zones where the Tax Assistants are crying for promotion to STA by taking into account the vacancies in the grade of DOS.  But merger of a supervisory post is definitely a down gradation for the ministerial cadre and it will further slide towards a state of depression unless something in very seriously done towards our proposal for new hierarchy.  This federation will continue to strive and we hope that Board will realize that decimation of the ministerial posts and the administrative wing is contrary to the interest of the department.

This Association is alive to all the issues which need to be addressed immediately.  We are also in touch with likeminded Association to move jointly.  Persuasion will be made with the concerned Sub-committees to maximize the benefits and extract more from the Cadre Restructuring.  We request you all to remain in touch and work together to achieve a better 2014 with whatever means we possess.  

Once again wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year 2014.

                          Comradely yours

   Sudharsan J                                      Ashim Pramanik

Secretary General                                    President