MEETING WITH 7th CPC HELD ON 17.06.2015 & MEETING OF ALL THE ASSOCIATIONS OF CBEC AT NACEN, KOLKATA ON 28.06.2015

Dear Comrades,

As, I have already reported that we were among the six All India Associations, invited for discussions by the 7^th CPC on 17.06.2015.  As you are aware that our submission before the 7^th CPC was already made in 2014 (CLICK HERE TO SEE).  In order to have a more focused and pointed discussions, we prepared a gist of our submission, specifying the premises of our demands, indicating the discrimination and sufferings, mated out to ministerial cadre for years together (CLICK HERE TO SEE).

The meeting started at 12’o Clock as scheduled and all the six Associations were given the opportunity to represent separately.  Our Associations initiated the discussions.  We apprised the Chairman, Hon’ble Justice A.K. Mathur and other members, Shri Vivek Rae, Shri Rathin Roy and Mrs. Meena Agarwal, Secretary, and Shri Samir Kumar Sinha, Jt. Secretary of 7^th Pay Commission, about the poor state of affair as far as the Pay Scales of Ministerial Officers are concerned.  Essentially we stressed that our Cadre should not be treated as a common cadre.  It is also department -specific.  The duties performed by the different Ministerial posts also aimed at Revenue realization at certain labels  and in some formations as  the very nomenclature of designations suggests.  We also gave specific examples.  We also drew attention of the 7^th CPC that 6^th CPC has categorically recommended for complete parity between HQ. organizations and field formations which has been denied by govt.   The 7^th CPC has also assured to consider this aspect.  The disparity between CBEC and CBDT was also pointed out.  We were able to evoke a patient hearing from the 7^th CPC.  We also met other officials of 7^th CPC to amplify our case and provide them the supporting documents.  The specifics of the demands made would be known from our submission linked herewith (CLICK HERE for Submission, Annx-I, Annx-II, Annx-III, Annx-IV).

MEETING OF ALL THE ASSOCIATIONS OF CBEC AT NACEN, KOLKATA ON 28.06.2015

                    Meeting held at NACEN, KOLKAT

I would also like to inform you that a meeting of all the Associations in CBEC was held in NACEN, Kolkata on 28.06.2015.  The convenor  of this meeting has been Shri Loknath Mishra, on behalf of IRS (Central Excise & Customs) Promotee Officers’ Association.  The details of the representatives of the Associations, who attended  the meeting  is linked herewith (CLICK HERE).

Myself and Shri Shankar Kumar Saha, ASG represented our Association in the meeting.  All the leaders expressed the necessity to form a Joint Platform, particularly to face the eventuality arising out of the recommendation of the 7^th CPC and impending implementation of the GST regime in the department.  After prolonged deliberation, it was decided to form a Joint Action Committee (JAC) of all the Associations in CBEC.  The President and Secretary General shall constitute the General Body of the JAC.  Shri Loknath  Mishra was nominated as Chief Convenor of the JAC besides four other Joint Convenors (two from Central Excise and two from Customs) have also been selected unanimously.  They are :

1. Shri  Ravi Malik, President, All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers (AIACEGEO).

2. Shri Ashim Pramanick, President, All India Central Excise and Service Tax Ministerial Officers Association (AICESTMOA).

3. Shri Veneugopalam Nair, President, All India Customs Preventive Service Federation.

4. Shri Ashish Chakraborty, General Secretary, All India Customs Group-C Officers Association.

A charter of demands covering common issues (CLICK HERE), involving the interest of all the officers in CBEC was also drawn in the post lunch session.  It was also decided to write to CBEC with the Charter of demands and seek appointment on behalf of JAC.

COMMON ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY JAC OF CBEC.

1. The CBEC should consult the member of associations/federations before submitting the views of the CBEC to the 7th CPC. A meeting of all the associations/federations must be convened by Board in this regard immediately.
2. Timely DPCs should be ensured and all the vacancies in all the cadres should be filled up immediately for smooth and seamless functioning of the department.
3. Unfilled vacancies at higher levels for the want of eligible candidates may be downgraded under GFR 254  and filled up with lower officials.
4. The units turnover of more than Rs 10 laks should not be given to the states and the CBEC should consult with the staff associations/federations before making any organisational changes with reference to implementation of GST. Proper training should be imparted to all officers concerned for implementation of GST.
5. All recruitment rules should be finalised in consultations with the associations/federations concerned on immediate basis.
6. Minimum Five functional promotions must be granted in the career of an employee entering the department.
7. MACP anomalies must be removed immediately without any further delay.
8. Time bound disposal of vigilance cases should be ensured.
9. Immediate provisions of essential infrastructure and office space to all officers as per the prescribed norms.
10. Employee Grievance Redressal Mechanism is to be put in place at Central as well as zonal level for on the spot redressal of staff grievances.
11. The 1% incremental incentive amount should percolate down to the welfare of all cadres in the department in proportion their strength.
12. Implementation of the comprehensive health insurance scheme at the earliest.  

This Association would like to express its gratitude to the leaders of IRS (Indirect Tax) Officers Association (formerly known as IRS (Central Excise & Customs) Promotee Officers’ Association for taking this initiative to bring all the Associations under one umbrella.  The beginning has been made.  The success shall live in our combined action in the coming days.

Yours Comradely,

Sd/-

(Ashim Pramanick)

President

MEETING WITH 7th CPC ON 17.06.2015

The President & Vice-President of AICESTMOA had been to Delhi from 16.06.15 to 17.06.15 and they appeared before the 7th Central Pay Commission meeting on 17.06.2015 at 12.00 Hrs. as per the scheduled invitation, for tendering oral evidence in support of the Memorandum. The Chairman and other Members of the 7th CPC gave a patient hearing of the proposals. The details of the meeting will be given shortly.

APPOINTMENT WITH 7th CPC ON 17.06.2015

Hon'ble Ms. Meena Agarwal, Secretary, Government of India, 7th Central Pay Commission, in her letter D.O. No.7CPC/158/ Meetings/2015  dated 15.06.2015, has given appointment to Shri Ashim Pramanick, President of All India Central Excise & Service Tax Ministerial Officers Association, at 12.00 Hrs. on 17th June, 2015 in the Conference Room, 1st Floor, B-14/1, Chatrapati Shivaji Bhavan, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi (Click here to see our submission dt. 31.07.14 before 7th CPC). The same D.O. letter dated 15.06.15 is given below:

Visit to Delhi from 08.06.15 to 11.06.15

Meetings with Board Officials:

Secretary General, Mr. G Samdani Khan along with Assistant Secretary General, Shri Shankar Kumar Saha and Shri Suman Sarkar from Kolkata, Assistant Secretary General, Shri Ram Lalit from Chandigarh and Organizing Secretary, Shri Vikas Kumar Gupta from Ahmedabad had been in Delhi from 08 Jun to 11 Jun 2015, to pursue various issues.  Appointments were sought from Hon’ble Chairman, Hon’ble Member (P&V) & JS (Adm.) of CBEC on the following agenda points and other miscellaneous issues: 

Gist of the discussions is given as below:

  1.   DPC for promotion to the grade to Chief Accounts Officer (CAO) from Administrative Officer (AO) for the vacancy years 2013-14, & 2014-15:

Since there has been a dispute arisen in the Seniority List of AOs, where 37 names have been reported to be omitted in the present updated Seniority List. The office of DGHRD was rigorously pursued to take necessary action to correct the situation (Click here to see our submission).  Accordingly a letter was issued on the very same day vide letter under F.No.8/B/78/HRD (HRM)/2015/ 2807 dated 09.06.2015 (Click here to see the Board letter dated 09.06.15). This Association requested to conduct the DPC at the very earliest by exploring all options. A submission has been put forward by this association to the concerned Authority for due consideration. It has been assured that the matter will be looked into on priority basis.

   2.  One time relaxation in Recruitment Rules  of Inspector, Stenographer, STA & TA due to Cadre Restructuring:

         

Issue of grant of one time relaxation, in the existing RR for promotion to the grade of Inspector, STA and TA, has been taken up with the Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary of AD-IIIA/B. They have been apprised of the situation, which will badly affect the working environment, due to shortfall of manpower in every cadre, if the relaxation is not granted (Click here to see our submission). They were apparently impressed and positive action is expected.

  3.  Re-designation of the posts of STA & DOS as Executive Assistant:

The confusion created among the field formations due to issue of Board’s Letter dated 15.04.2015 was once again brought to the notice of the Board and request was made to issue a clarification to the Commissionerates. A submission has also been made on this issue (Click here to see the submission).

   4.    Amendment/Rectification in RR of Tax Assistant, notified under GSR.12 (E) dated 10.01.2014 (Ad.IIB):

The combined service of LDC and Head Havalder for counting the qualifying service for promotion to Tax Assistant, notified in the recently published Recruitment Rule of Tax Assistant, has been not in order as pointed out many a times in the past, has been explained to the concerned officers. It has been requested to amend the RR be issued in near future, where the word ‘Head Havalder’ will be replaced by the word ‘Havalder’ (Click here to see our submission).

We also pursued to our earlier demands to incorporate a "Retention Clause" in the new Recruitment Rules of Inspector and Executive Assistant.

It is also requested to incorporate a clause in the upcoming Recruitment Rules, which will ascertain that while counting the qualifying service for promotion to next higher grade, the total service rendered in the same ‘Grade Pay’ will be considered, e.g. for AO promotion, the service rendered in the grade of STA and DOS will be counted as qualifying service.

Meeting with Hon’ble Member (P&V) on 11.06.15:

Members of the Association had a meeting with Hon'ble Member (P&V), CBEC, Ms. Vanaja N Sarna on 11.06.2015 in presence of the Deputy/Under Secretaries of AD-IIA/B, AD-IIIA/B and  AD-IV.  Madam wanted to know if this was the only Association for the Ministerial Cadre. It was clarified to her that it was the only Association of Central Excise and Service Tax Ministerial Officers (Click here to see the intimation letter of new Executive Committee).  She said that she had gone through all the issues, which were projected as Agenda Points for the meeting and accordingly instructed the concerned officers to put the files before her. The members were informed that a reply will definitely be given shortly about the status of the ongoing issues. Meetings ended with cordiality.

Other than the Agenda issues we also submitted a separate representation for a special drive for recruitment of Tax Assistants (Click here to see our submission).

Yours Comradely,

Sd/-

(G. Samdani Khan)

Secretary General

SEEKING APPOINTMENT WITH CHAIRMAN, MEMBER(P&V) & JOINT SECRETARY (ADMINISTRATION)

VISIT TO NEW DELHI FROM 08.06.15 TO 12.06.15 - MEETING WITH BOARD MEMBERS

G. Samdani Khan (Secretary General), Vikas Kumar Gupta (Organising Secretary) and other Comrades from Hyderabad, Kolkata & Chandigarh will be in Delhi from 08.06.15 to 12.06.15 and have sought appointment with Board Chairman, Member (P&V) & Joint Secretary (Admin.) during the period of stay in Delhi to discuss various agenda points as given in the appointment letter below: