Ref: PF/Cadre Review Dated – 29.05.2012
To
Dr.
Salim Haque
DDG
(P)
Department
of Posts
Dak
Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001
Sub: - Cadre Review Proposal
A
propose discussion held on 29.05.2012 on the above subject, the consolidated
proposal from the staff side in respect of Group ‘B’ Non – Gazetted and Group
‘C’ cadre in operative side Postal Department is appended herewith.
It
is requested to kindly consider the same as agreed upon in the said meeting
cited in para supra.
DA:
as above
With
kind regards,
K.
V. Sridharan
D. Kishan Rao
General
Secretary
General Secretary
AIPEU
Group
‘C’
NAPE Group ‘C’
Giriraj
Singh
D. Theagarajan
General
Secretary
General
Secretary
AIRMS
& MMS EU Group ‘C’
NURMS & MMS Group
‘C’
Proposal for Cadre Review in respect
of Group B (Non Gazetted) & Group ‘C’ Cadre in operative side of Postal
Department
JUSTIFICATION FOR CADRE REVIEW
1.1 In the first Chapter of the Annual report
2007-08 of the Department of Post under the Caption of 'Overview', it was
mentioned that the Cadre Review was conducted in 2007 with the prime aim of
restructuring the Cadre to meet the challenges to the Department, and
especially to cater the marketing and business development.
1.2 Whereas the similar to the cadre review exercised
at JAG/SAG level has not been extended to the grass root level employees who
are actually carrying out the policy and programme of the Postal organisation
despite there is ample justification after the modernisation of postal services
and introduction of various new projects and products. Not even a single post
of System Administrators for maintenance of hardware and software has so far been
created despite the posts of Systems Manager/ Systems Administrators/ Project
officers etc. are in existence by converting the Postal Assistant posts by
keeping those posts vacant. Many Postal Assistant posts were now christened as
Marketing Executives without any monetary benefits and also keeping the Postal
Assistants posts vacant which are being managed by the rest of the staff
without any monetary compensation.
1.3 As per the report cited above in para supra, there
is a dire need to transform the human resources abundantly available in the
Department to a multi dimensional one to meet the challenges and also to
improve the services in the competition era for which the officials should be
motivated by offering good packages and promotional opportunities.
The Cadre restructuring
exercises have been done by the various departments in large scale. In many
departments like Railways, Audit & Accounts, the cadre restructurings were
exercised in Group C cadres many times and the ratio of promotional avenues
between the feeder and promotional cadres are being maintained under the ratio
of 20:80.
The Staff of the Postal
Accounts in our department have also been blessed with this beneficial scheme
of eighty percent upgradation of posts during Sep 87 based on the cadre
restructuring to Postal Accounts staff exercised after the implementation of
the Fourth Pay Commission's recommendations.
So far, in respect of
Postal department, the Postal Board has not exercised any cadre restructuring
to the Clerical (Group C) cadres but has resorted to other schemes like TBOP,
BCR on matching Savings. The conception of TBOP/BCR was to ensure that an
employee does not stagnate in the maximum of the pay scale of the Cadre and
promote to next grade (Selection grade) in two spells (i.e) one first after 16
years and second after 26years of service. The agreement for TBOP and BCR were
signed by providing matching savings for the schemes to the extent of 20% in
supervisory and 6% in operative Posts and withdrawal of special pay and so on.
Prior to introduction
of TBOP, in May 1974, by an agreement in the JCM Departmental Council, 20% of
the posts in the operative grade were placed in the next higher grade of LSG.
This was withdrawn at the time of introduction of TBOP, as the LSG promotions
were granted on the length of service of individuals and not by the existence
of posts under the TBOP scheme.
The Department has issued various clarifications on
TBOP/BCR and in almost all the clarifications the TBOP and BCR promotions were
equated with LSG & HSG II. HSG I promotions were accorded during the years
in between 1995 to 1998 based on the BCR Gradation list. Suddenly in 1999, the
TBOP & BCRs were termed as financial up gradations and they were denied the
equal status with LSG & HSG II. Thus the benefits arrived after the
TBOP/BCR in the years 1983/1991 were freezed and those promotions were lost its
identity and sanctity. Finally while adopting MACP Promotions the erstwhile
TBOP & BCR Schemes were scrapped and now not in existence. Thus all the
three exercises similar to cadre review in different forms were withdrawn and
virtually, it appears that there is no cadre review for Group C cadre has been
exercised so far.
The Sixth
Pay Commission did not recommend any separate pay scales for LSG & HSG II
and resultantly the Pay Bands applicable to TBOP & BCR are thus being
applied to LSG & HSG II promotions. After equating the TBOP & BCR with
the similar Pay Band to LSG & HSG II, the contention of the Department that
they are financial upgradation is having no relevance. Thus there is ample
justification for exercising cadre restructuring for the supervisory cadres in
the department.
Meanwhile,
the Sixth CPC in its recommendations under para 3.3.17 maintained that it has
refrained from conducting cadre review of individual services and left the job
to the respective departments. Thus we propose the following proposal for cadre
review for consideration.
Since we
are aware that despite ample functional justification for upgradation of grade
pay to the extent of Rs.2800/- to Postal Assistants, there is no chance of
considering to grant higher pay scale to Postal Assistants under the proposed
cadre restructuring, we are restraining ourselves only to the increase the
number of supervisory posts in existence in respect of hierarchical cadre to
the Postal assistants and formation of new cadres pertaining to technical
posts.
It is
pertinent to mention that in many departments, the percentage wise cadre
restructuring of posts were considered and the functional justification has not
been insisted. For example, Railways in the case of Ticket Checking staff who
are in 1900 GP Entry level pay, have been provided with the promotional cadre
like Senior Ticket Examiner; Head Ticket Examiner; and Chief Ticket Inspector.
In the case of Railway Commercial clerks, who are in 2000 GP at Entry level
pay, have promotional cadres like Senior commercial Clerks; Head Commercial
Clerks; and Chief Commercial Clerks under the cadre restructuring doing the
similar duty with different nomenclatures.
Under the
Cadre Restructuring exercised in Railways 14% of officials are retained in
Entry level pay scale of both these cadres; 16% officials in next pay scale
level of 2400 GP; 46% to next level of 4200 GP; and remaining 24% in 4600 GP in
the case of Ticket Checking Staff. Out of these staff most of them work as
operative staff and the senior most staff only are working as Supervisors in
second and third level and only the fourth level are fully real supervisory
staff. According to Railway formula these higher cadre restructured posts were
not based on functional justification. It is the bare fact that on functional
justification basis many could not have obtained this much percentage of higher
level posts.
Even
though, we are of the opinion that the cadre restructuring shall be exercised
at par with railways or at least with the earlier review made for staff car
drivers based on the percentage of posts in basic cadre to each promotional
categories, we are placing below the availability of functional justification
also in case of PA cadre for kind information and consideration..
LSG, HSG II/HSG I
2.1 At the outset, we wish to place on record that the
existing nomenclature for supervisory posts viz. LSG, HSG-II & HSG-I does
not exhibit the nature of status to our world and it requires revision. Let it
be called with the nomenclature of Supervisors, Senior Supervisors and Chief
Supervisors or Executive Manager, Senior Manager, and Chief Manager. It is most
opt to mention that the earlier station masters are now called as station
managers; Engine drivers are now called as Loco Pilot; Group D is now called as
Multi Tasked Staff; Mechanics sheds are called as care centres. Similarly, the
Postal Assistant shall also be called with decent nomenclature instead of this
present LSG, HSG II & HSG I
2.2 The Supervisors/Postmasters have omnibus task of
management, providing guidance and supervision in all activities including the
various marketing/business activities.
2.3 The scope and functions of Postmasters/Supervisors
may broadly be categorised as follows.
They are
responsible for drawal/remittance of funds involving huge financial
responsibility.
They have to
enforce efficient supervision office and Postal operations.
They have to
enforce the orders strictly in maintaining the office and its day to day
functions.
They have to plan
and execute the orders and promote more business and improve the mail
functioning.
They have to
supervise the subordinates as on administrator and in some cases act as
disciplinary authority also.
They should
possess a through knowledge on all Postal transactions with updated rulings in
order to run the office smoothly with the customer satisfaction.
They have to take
all efforts for prompt delivery of mails besides averting any public
complaints.
They have a thorough
knowledge about their powers, responsibilities, and duties and also to acquaint
him with all departmental rules and procedures
Under the changed scenario, due to complete
modernisation and venturing various business activities, the role and
responsibilities of the supervisors and postmasters become abundant and there
is a dire need to place them in higher pay band of II right from LSG post
onwards.
2.4 In nutshell, they should function as a Manager,
Public Relation Officer, Bank Officer, Welfare Officer and also a good
Administrator. Based on the job content, the responsibilities and specialised
knowledge needed for efficient functioning; there is a sound case for
upgradation of all the posts of Postmasters into supervisory cadre. After the
decentralisation of various works at S. O. levels like RD/MIS works and
launching various business activities there is a qualitative change in the
supervisory duties of the Single/Double handed offices which require a better
senior officials to supervise the work. Notwithstanding our claim to place the
LSG in pay band II with grade pay of Rs.4200; HSG II to Rs.4600 & HSG I to
Rs.4800, We are proposing the following for increase the number of supervisory
posts which will cater the need and also based on the functional justification.
2.5 The Department is having a total number of Postal
Assistants to the extent of 83,696 Posts. We are having 6989 LSG Posts, 1703
HSG II & 1649 HSG I Posts; out of which 2097 post of Postmaster Grade I,
511 posts of Grade II Postmaster & 495 posts of Grade I Postmaster were
carved out while forming a separate cadre of Postmaster. While comparing the
existence of basic cadre Postal Assistants, the present number of LSG Posts is
just only 8.35%. Even the assured 20% operative posts in LSG during May 74 and
implemented is no where in letter & spirit and we have gone back to the
period prior to 1974.
2.6 The staff side therefore requests to consider
the following proposals in the case of supervisors.
Considering the more nature of supervisory works now available in B & C
Class offices, the posts of SPMs of those offices may be upgraded to the
present status of LSG with the revised nomenclature of 'Supervisor' or Manager.
As on date we are having 11395 singled handed post offices and 6719 double
handed offices. It will result in creation of new supervisory posts equivalent
to present LSG cadre to be extent of 18114 which will work out to 21.65% LSG
Supervisory posts.
The
SPMs working in present 'A' class and LSG offices & other LSG supervisory
posts may be upgraded to the present status of HSG II and called them as
'Senior Supervisor or Senior Manager'. This will add to the present LSG
strength of 6989 with addition of 3732 postmaster of Triple handed post offices
with the total strength of 10718 which will maintain the promotional avenues
from LSG to HSG II to the extent ratio of 2 : 1.
The
present posts in HSG II & HSG I may be amalgamated and called as 'Chief
Supervisor or Chief Manager' with the present HSG I status. The existing posts
of HSG II & HSG I to the extent of 1703 and 1649 posts respectively (i.e.)
3352 posts will maintain the ratio of promotions from HSG II to HSG I as 3:1
A
separate identification to the extent of 30% of the HSG I posts may please be
accorded as Non functional posts in Group B status with grade pay of Rs. 4800/-
in Pay Band II.
If the above
process of elevation of more supervisory posts considering the requirement of
more supervisory posts on functional justification is carried out, it will
provide more supervisory posts and not to have any disturbances in the
pyramidal structure since the total no. of supervisory posts will work out to
32184 which is 38.45% not exceeding 40% of the basic cadre.
POSTMASTER’S CADRE
3.1 The Department has
unilaterally introduced Postmaster’s Cadre vide its No. 4-17/2008-SPB II dt.
22.11.2010 by carving out 2097 LSG posts, 511 HSG II posts and 495 HSG I posts
out of 5695 LSG posts, 1077 HSG II & 1176 HSG I posts. The staff side was
not in favour for formation of separate cadre since it will create a division
among the existing supervisors and also the concept of supervisors to know all
the nature of work is being shrinking due to separate formation. However, the
Postmaster cadre is being implemented as a separate hierarchical cadre.
3.2 The recruitment rules
applicable to other supervisors are being applied in respect of Postmasters
cadre. During cadre restructuring the following shall be considered.
When the Postmaster cadre is
separately created, all the promotions up to the posts of Chief Postmaster
shall be open only to that cadre. Entertaining IPO line officials is not fair.
Their option may be obtained for postmaster cadre if willing. Thereafter all
posts shall be filled up only from the Postmasters cadre.
At the time of upgradation of
more supervisory posts under cadre review, 1/3rd posts may also be
carved out for the postmasters cadre.
At present there is no
provision to fill up the Postmaster Grade I posts on seniority. The principle
of 2/3rd by Seniority and 1/3rd by merit shall be
introduced in Postmasters Grade-I also.
4. RMS
4.1 At present, there are
7599 Sorting Assistants; 5544 MACP II SAs & 3311 MACP III. Whereas the
present supervisory posts available in the RMS in LSG 1053; HSG II 415; HSG-I
415, which is not even reaches 5% in LSG to the comparison of Sorting Assistant
4.2 After implementation of
mail network redesign in speed post as well as First class mailing offices and
there are vast changes being taken place, more promotional avenues shall be
provided in RMS. Considering the above, more Promotional Posts in LSG, HSG-II
& HSG-I equal to the ratio provided to Postal Assistant under the cadre
review may please be considered, the existing promotional Posts shall be
increased at least by three times.
4.3 Further a new cadre of
Non Functional Group ‘B’ may please be carved out to the extend of 30% of the
total HSG I Posts by providing one NFS Posts to each RMS division for effective
supervision and monitoring.
5. SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATORS
5.1 The Sixth Pay Commission in its report vide item
No. 7.6.21 observed interalia: -
"Postal Assistants assigned the jobs of Systems
Administrators and Marketing Executives have demanded creation of a new cadre
with higher pay scales. Creation of a new cadre in their case is not
functionally justified. The commission, in any case, is not looking into
demands relating to individual cadre reviews, status -quo may, therefore, need
to be maintained especially because the existing scenario always usage of
available manpower for need based multifarious function."
5.2 The Sixth CPC did not dealt the issue with due
note of the existence of such category in postal exclusively performing the
duties properly and arrived at the conclusion causing severe discontentment in
the minds of the officials who are toiling since inception of computers in the
post offices and rendered their unstinted service without any extra
remuneration for the total computerisation of postal services.
From the report of the Sixth
CPC, it is quite evident that the actual nature of work involved as 'Systems
Administrators' in the Department of Posts has been quite misunderstood and the
projection of the same has been made devoid of the acumen and dexterity
actually involved. In nut shell, the work of 'Systems Administrators' has been
evaluated on facts that are miles away from the ground realities. In other
departments, the nature of work entrusted to Systems administrators are quite
different and they are being with the grade pay of Rs.5400. Here we are calling
them as systems administrators; but their role and responsibilities are
entirely different.
In certain departments, the
posts of ‘Computer Assistant’ or ‘System Assistant’ in the pay scale of Rs.
9300-34800 with grade pay of Rs. 4200/- have been created with the
Qualification of graduation/BSC with PGDCA/DOEACC – A level with 55/- marks or
two years’ experience is required for the selection as system assistant. The
nature of work in existence in postal can be equated with that of systems
assistants. Based on the same structure, a separate cadre of system
Administrators can be created by providing further promotional avenues in the
cadre.
The Department has formed a
separate Technical wing at the Directorate to deal the problems of Systems
oriented and it has given a hope that the long pending demands of the System
Administrators would also be considered and decided. The Department has also
constituted another three DDG Committee vide is letter No.1/1/2010-Sr dated
19.7.2010 comprising DDG (Estt), DDG (P) and DDG (Technology) to consider about
creation of systems administrators cadre and directed to submit its report
within three months. We are not aware of the recommendations of the committee.
Further, the Department of
Posts vide its letter No. 23-15/2004-PE II dt 24.12.04, after the formation of
Separate Committee under the Chairmanship of the DDG (Technology) directed to
consider the following: -
Assess which of special categories of Staff will be
required at Sub Post offices, Head Post offices, Sorting offices, Speed Post
centres as and various Administrative and Accounts offices to effectively
tackle problems which arise while implementing the Computerization plan:
Assess number of Staff in each of these special
categories that will be required in SOs/HOs/Divisions etc and nomenclature (for
example, PAC Technology). System administrator, Systems Manager etc.) for each
category.
Recommend:
Pay scales to be given to such staff
Selection criterion for such staff and career
Career progression for such staff.
The Director (T&E) has sought views and
suggestions on the above vide his letter cited above. However, it seems no
decision has so far been taken by the committee or Department.
According to Para
10.1 of the Annual report of 2010-11 of the Department of Posts, during the
period from 1st April 2010 to 31st December 2010 ,
computer hardware and peripherals have been supplied to 1811 post offices. Thus
till December 2010, 14415 post offices have been computerised under Plan Scheme
of Computerisation of Post offices. Further all Postal Circle Offices, Regional
Offices, all Postal Accounts Offices and 1205 Divisional Offices have also been
computerized. Besides, a number of enabled services were started in these post
offices. The Govt has approved IT modernisation project of the Department of
Posts for computerisation of all the non-computerised post offices, mail
offices, administrative and other offices, establishment of required IT
infrastructure, development of required software applications to be completed
by 2012-13. .
The Department
has entered with contracts for implementation of financial services solution
and there are eight projects for the I.T. modernisation of India Post at on
overall out lay of Rs.1877 crores. As per the contract for financial services
solution, it includes commissioning of Postal Banking operations entailing core
banking solution and ATM switch. The dept proposes to introduce and install
Rural ICT hardware devices and providing network connectivity to 1.30 lakhs
branch post offices enabling all post offices to perform e transactions.
It is very
pertinent to point out that this could be achieved only by having specialised
and trained man power pool inside our organisation. Imparting training,
maintenance of hardware and software, attending faults at 1.30 lakhs branch
post offices etc, we require a large number of expert personnel for which the
creation of systems assistant or call by any name like Technical Assistant,
Computer Assistant etc is inevitable. The role of existing Systems
Administrators in total computerisation of Post offices must be recognised.
They are very much frustrated and the discontentment is mounting due to the
continuous exploitation of these categories over ten years.
It is therefore
requested to consider their plights and convert the existing Systems
Administrator posts as Promotional Cadre to Postal Assistants possessing
required qualification in computer appreciations as if available in other
departments for the post of Systems Assistant with grade pay of Rs.4200.