SENIORITY LISTS OF AO

Date:- 28.11.2011

Dear Members,

            The much awaited Draft seniority list in respect of the Administrative Officers has been communicated by the DG, HRD to the Association. Due to the persistent efforts of the Association, another key demand stands achieved. A copy of the draft seniority list of Administrative Officers can be accessed by clicking here.

Discrepancies if any may kindly be sent to the DG, HRD through proper channel, i.e., through the respective Cadre Controlling authorities.   However, with the issuance of the draft seniority list, the Association feels that now the onus shifts on those Administrative Officers who have been delaying submission of relevant documents to the Board for taking care of the discrepancies raised by the UPSC with regard to the holding of DPC to the grade of Chief Accounts Officer.

            Incase the UPSC/Board is not assisted with the required documents, the Association shall impress upon all its responsible members to embark upon an exercise to ascertain the zones/authorities responsible for withholding information/not providing the requisite information etc., etc., through Right to Information Act applications, and thereafter follow up with fixing of responsibilities on the deliquent officers working in the various Commissionerates etc.  Needless to mention, the patience of the eligible Ministerial officers is diminishing and with that increases the pressure on the Association office bearers.  I wish to keep one and all informed through this message that ample efforts shall be put in to ensure that the CAO DPC takes place in time, or else responsibility is fixed on the entire group/bunch of officers who have been instrumental in getting the same delayed for some reason or the other.  Do note that APAR documents speak volumes and hope no officer would like to get discredited for such a petty issue, which is of prime importance to this Association.  The Association shall not be continuing with begging/pleading techniques but instead shall submit the first RTI application in the first week of December, 2011 and the onus for the said exercise would rest on those officers who have been ignoring the requirement of the Ministerial officers royally.

As regards, the matter relating to merger of Deputy Office Superintendent and Senior Tax Assistant, a letter addressed to the zonal cadre controlling authorities (zonal Chief Commissioners) has been prepared. The same can be downloaded by clicking here. The office bearers of the local Associations may kindly download and submit the same to the respective Chief Commissioners (Cadre Controlling Authorities) and impress upon them to forward it with their positive recommendations on the matter.  Under no circumstances, the responsible office bearers of this Association would like or appreciate mute leaders at the local level who receive any communication of the Board with great respect and keep mum over the entire issue.  The degree of injustice on the entire Ministerial Cadre has crossed all limits, starting from the non-holding of CAO DPC for years together, not granting higher grade pay to the Administrative Officers and Deputy Office Superintendents, the proposed unilateral merger of DOS and STA posts by the Board thereby making a mockery of the hierarchial structure of Ministerial mainstream, not granting the grade pay of Rs.2800/- to the Tax Assistants etc., etc.   Concerted efforts are being made to address the issue and further developments and course of action to be adopted on the matter would be made known to one and all very soon.  While some officers are playing pranks with our cadre, its high time that the real worth of the Ministerial cadre is felt or else within no time the entire cadre shall perish, with the Administration being the loser finally.

 Hope good sense prevails and expecting the maximum from the local Associations at this time of crisis on the entire cadre, I remain,

Comradely yours,

Thomas Mony,

Secretary General

PS :- The Association may be provided with scanned copies of submissions made to the respective Cadre Controlling Authorities with regard to the proposed merger of DOS and STA by the 30th of November, 2011 to decide the further course of action.  Non-submission of the same shall only delay the decision on further course of action to the adopted by the Association.  During the previous restructuring, all the Associations were kept in dark about the methodology adopted whereas the DOP&T and Expenditure Department had insisted for "No Objection" from the recognized Associations which process had delayed the entire process and once again the ensuing Cadre Review Process too had given no cognizance to the submissions made by our Association thereby aggravating the injustice caused.  The Board has given this Cadre ample cause to take up issues before the judiciary and incase the officers responsible for the Cadre Restructuring in the existing format feel that an injunction from the Court is required, then the same shall be resorted to, at the appropriate time.

Pune, the 22nd November, 2011

Dear Members,

The undersigned is in receipt of numerous telephonic calls from aggrieved members of the Cadre raising concerns and wanting to know the reasons for the said course of action being adopted by the Board and the future stand that the Association is likely to take.

Vide this message, each and every concerned member is being informed that practically it is not possible for me to communicate the entire details telephonically to one and all calling me over the said issue.  It is therefore requested that all concerned members may send in their suggestions, opinions, comments with regard to the unilateral decision of the Board in merging DOS and STA cadres on my email id – monythom@gmail.com.

The office bearers of All India Association have already firmed up a unanimous stand and incase diplomatic efforts of the Association is not yielding the desired results, then by the 25th of November, 2011 the All India Association will be serving the notice of agitation to the Hon'ble Finance Minister, Hon'ble Revenue Secretary and other officials.

"United we stand and divided we fall, Safeguard the Ministerial Cadre by honouring the Association's call".

Yours sincerely,

Thomas Mony.

FLASH NEWS ! ! !

New Delhi, the 17^th November, 2011

Dear Members,

As you all are aware the Association was following up our various pending demands in the Board and was also closely monitoring the developments on the same. While doing so, it is learnt that the Board has taken a decision-in-principle, to merge the cadres of DOS and STA, without any consultation whatsoever, with the Association, on the pretext that the Association had sought temporary downgradation of the posts of DOS to STA, for facilitating removal of stagnation in the grade of TA in some zones and provide promotional opportunities. A copy of the decision is placed below for information of the Members.

          The Association had submitted the following letters in the recent past, objecting to such a proposal. 

1. SG's Letter dated 29.09.2011

2. President's Letter dated 03.11.2011

3. SG's Letter dated 03.11.2011

 

        Every time the leaders met the senior officers of the Board to raise these apprehensions and convey our objections, we were being assured that same would be examined and we shall be kept informed, before a final decision is taken on the subject matter.

Our worst fears have now come true.  That these were false assurances like the many that were given to us in the past.  The historical backstabbing precedence of the Board which occured during the 27th and 28th of January, 2001 i.e., the Board had given a written assurance that the cadre of DEOs will not be merged with that of the Ministerial cadre in the then cadre restructuring proposal and later went ahead with the said proposal keeping us in the dark, despite the assurance to the contrary, is being repeated once again.

        While the Association had been demanding a change in the hierarchical structure, in accordance with the recommendations of the 6^th CPC, in the current cadre restructuring proposal which is under consideration of the Board, the same was not accepted. Pursuant to our consistent efforts, the DG, HRD had accepted to incorporate certain changes in the cadre restructuring proposal, by increasing the number of posts in the grades of CAO and AO, so as to provide relief to the stagnating cadres of AOs and DOS. While the said proposal had been cleared by the Board & the Department of Expenditure and is now under examination by the DOP&T, the Board has surreptitiously mooted the current proposal, behind the back of the Association, with the sole intention/ objective of denying/nullifying this said benefit and to destroy the entire Ministerial cadre. The supervisory cadre of DOS, which stands demoralized after the denial of higher Grade Pay now has been further insulted through this devastating proposal of the Board. While the Board has been very active to do any damage to the cadre, it has always been found to drag its feet to meet the legitimate demands of our cadre during the past decade, and the following issues stand testimony to the same:-

(a)         Revision of Recruitment Rules of CAO

(b)         Revision of Recruitment Rules of AO

(c)          Promotion to the grade of CAO

(d)        Upgradation of Pay scales of AO & DOS

(e)     Determination of nature of duties and responsibilities for the Ministerial cadre.

It is thus clear that none of our demands will be achieved without a strong agitational programme. The Association is left with no other alternative other than to proceed with serving a notice of agitation before the Hon’ble Finance Minister, the Revenue Secretary and other authorities.

The details of the proposed agitational programme, will be made known soon after consultation with the Office bearers. The unit representatives are requested to take up the issue with their respective cadre controlling authorities, by submitting a memorandum (copy placed here) objecting to the proposed merger of DOS and STA. 

        United we stand, divided we fall. All the Members may be prepared to stand by the decision of the Association, in the interest of the entire Ministerial cadre.

 

Comradely Yours,

 Sd/-

Thomas Mony,

Secretary General

Update on Visit to New Delhi

Pune, the 07^th November, 2011

Dear Members,

 

        Our President, Shri.Ashim Pramanick (Kolkatta) as well as Asst. Secretary General, M.Chokkalingam (Bangalore) had recently visited New Delhi in order to follow up the pending demands of the Association. As you all are aware the file relating to the upgradation of payscales of Administrative officers and Deputy office superintendents has been forwarded to the Department of Expenditure, with a positive recommendation from the Board. In fact, it is learnt that the file has been forwarded alongwith a D.O. letter from the ex-Chairman of CBEC, who was very sensitive to our issues and took enough interest in settling some of the pending demands pertaining to various cadres of our Association.

        As a follow up measure, the leaders had met the Secretary, Department of Expenditure on the 03^rd November, 2011 and explained the issue threadbare. The Joint Secretary (Pers.), of the Department of Expenditure was also present in the meeting. Both of them gave a patient hearing and enquired as to whether any other department has given a higher grade pay to the AOs. In this regard, the orders issued in the Department of Telecommunication, was shown and a copy has been submitted, upon perusal of which they stated that the same will be taken into account while considering the demand of the Association. The Association is hopeful of a positive outcome on the matter.

 

        The issue regarding holding of DPC for the post of Chief Accounts Officer is getting delayed only because, certain cadre controlling authorities are not showing the necessary keenness in doing their job, i.e., furnishing the ACRs and vigilance clearance (integrity certificates etc.,). Earlier post on this issue refers. It is ironical to state that there is insensitivity prevailing on this issue at the field level and hence the common members who have read this message from the respective Commissionerates are requested to approach the Cadre Controlling A.O/Superintendent and ensure that they are informed of the deficiency pending from their zone.  Incase the authorities are not responding favourably, kindly keep the All India Association posted of the facts, so that the matter could be taken up with the Member(P&V), CBEC, New Delhi.

        Another issue, which has made progress is the draft seniority list of Administrative Officers. It has been stated that the list will be circulated within the next few days, probably by this weekend. On the cadre review front, it has been learnt that the DG, HRD has completed its presentation with DOPT, and no more queries are pending against our proposal. Possibly, the clearance for the same could come through any time, or as soon as the proposal of CBDT is ready for approval. The issue relating to the relaxation for promotion to the grade of Senior Tax Assistants and Inspectors, have not made any progress. The matter was discussed with the Member (P&V) and the Joint Secretary (Admin), among other issues, to which they assured that the same will be considered positively.

        Further, it has been reported that certain zones are not implementing one of the recent decisions of the Board, which was issued while accepting the verdict of the Hon’ble Tribunal, Chandigarh Bench on the matter of age bar for promotion to the grade of Inspectors. One such instance is being brought to the notice of one and all.  The Association is taking up this matter separately.  However, if such instances are prevailing elsewhere, the same may be brought to the notice of the Board/Association. For the benefit of the members, a copy of the order of the Tribunal alongwith a sample instance of denial to implement the Court/Board directive is made available for your information. Its pathetic to note that an interpretation of the Recruitment Rule, done by the judiciary, takes effect from the date of its Notification and denial to Review all the DPCs held from 07.12.2002 is illegal, absurd and needs to be countered well at the respective Cadre Controlling level.  If injustice still prevails, do keep us informed so that timely remedial measures could be initiated. Please click here for the order and do view the letter too.

        As stated earlier, the then Hon’ble Chairman Shri.S.Dutt Majumder, has relinquished his office on attaining superannuation w.e.f. 31.10.2011. The Association wishes to place on record his genuine concerns towards our cadre, and the timely support owing to which there has been ample progress made on our pending demands would have not been possible otherwise. On behalf of the entire cadre, I wish him a happy, peaceful and healthy retired life.

        While speaking about the progress made in various areas, unfortunately there has been a negative wave created in the Board office with regard to one pending issue taken up by the Association.  On the basis of precedence prevailing in the Cadre Controlling zones of Chennai, Hyderabad and Chennai Customs this Association had sought for necessary permission from the Board for temporary downgrading of some vacant DOS posts to that of STA so as to ensure that the approximately 74 aspirants in the Cadre Controlling zones of Bhopal, Mumbai/ Pune and Jaipur stand benefited, and that uniformity prevails in the various field formations. Inorder to counter the Association’s request, the Board has come up with a novel idea of merging the supervisory cadre of DOS and STA, thereby trying to de-grade the supervisory cadre apart from maintaining the non-uniformity among field formations under CBEC.  The Association intends to keep all the members informed that the said move of the Board stands countered alongwith an indication of mass protest if any decision detrimental to the cadre is taken. 

Of late, it is being noted that there exists a very dangerous precedence of Board not advising the field formations/ not initiating any action on officers/Cadre Controlling authorities taking decisions which are contradictory to rules and since authorities are scotfree, the quantum of injustice is ever increasing which finally leads to unwanted litigations.  While our Hon’ble Finance Minister has all along been maintaining that DPCs should be held timely and staff grievances need to be looked into, we do have before us perfect examples of injustice being meted out on our members in various zones, which would surely stand highlighted in future, thereby bringing in transparency and more so the actions of the Board/ Cadre Controlling authorities shall be made known to one and all, thus bringing in the desired amount of change in the various field formations under Central Board of Excise and Customs.

Yours comradely,

Sd/-

Thomas Mony,

Secretary General.

CAO-PROMOTIONS-DPC-DOCUMENTS

Pune, the 1st November, 2011

Dear Members,

Kindly refer to the earlier post, wherein the list of deficiencies pointed out by the UPSC for holding DPC for promotion to the grade of CAO, was placed on the blog, with a request for making good the deficiencies.

It is sad and indeed painful that even after a lapse of about two months the said deficiencies have not been set right owing to which the file has not been submitted to the UPSC. It is once again requested to all the concerned members more particularly the officers from the AO cadre, to kindly look into this at a personal level and ensure that  a reply is furnished immediately. The list of deficiencies are placed below for information. Soft copy of the same can be downloaded by clicking here.

Yours sincerely,

sd/-

Thomas Mony

Secretary General

For any clarification and/or confirmation of receipt of the documents, members may contact Shri.Awinash Chander, Section Officer, Ad.IIA, CBEC, New Delhi on 011-23095533