To
The National Executive Members &
The Secretaries of the Affiliates
Dear Comrades,
Meeting with DAI: The delegation comprising the President Com.S.V.Deshpande, Vice-President Com. K.T.Sridharan, the Secretary General Com S.Mohan, the Addl. Secy. General Com. R.S.Dubey met DAI on 16th April 2009 @ 3 p.m. in her Cabin. After formal exchange of pleasantries we presented the following issues.
Up gradation of Pay Scales of Audit/Accounts and Senior Audit/Accounts Officers:
The Notification dated 29th August 2008 prescribing the new pay scales effective from 1.1.06 has granted the Sr .Divisional Accounts officer of IA&AD the scale of pay Rs. 8000-13500 with a Grade pay of Rs.5400 and placing them in PB3.The AOs of the IA&AD have been granted the same scale and Grade pay but placed in PB2. The SAOs of IA&AD have also been granted the same scale and Grade pay but placed in PB3.Thus the present scales have disturbed the well established vertical relativity by placing the Sr. DAO above the AO in an equal position with the SAO of IA&AD ignoring the fact that the department’s recruitment rules place the Divisional Accounts Officer in the scales equal to the AAO and the Sr. DAO has been placed in the scales applicable to the AOs only. We elaborately presented our case and the injustice done to our Cadre by the Sixth Central Pay Commission and the Government through its Notification. The response from DAI was positive and she assured that our case would be pursued with Finance Ministry with due care and attention.
Removal of age limit for promotion to I.A. & A.S.
The National Executive Members &
The Secretaries of the Affiliates
Dear Comrades,
Meeting with DAI: The delegation comprising the President Com.S.V.Deshpande, Vice-President Com. K.T.Sridharan, the Secretary General Com S.Mohan, the Addl. Secy. General Com. R.S.Dubey met DAI on 16th April 2009 @ 3 p.m. in her Cabin. After formal exchange of pleasantries we presented the following issues.
Up gradation of Pay Scales of Audit/Accounts and Senior Audit/Accounts Officers:
The Notification dated 29th August 2008 prescribing the new pay scales effective from 1.1.06 has granted the Sr .Divisional Accounts officer of IA&AD the scale of pay Rs. 8000-13500 with a Grade pay of Rs.5400 and placing them in PB3.The AOs of the IA&AD have been granted the same scale and Grade pay but placed in PB2. The SAOs of IA&AD have also been granted the same scale and Grade pay but placed in PB3.Thus the present scales have disturbed the well established vertical relativity by placing the Sr. DAO above the AO in an equal position with the SAO of IA&AD ignoring the fact that the department’s recruitment rules place the Divisional Accounts Officer in the scales equal to the AAO and the Sr. DAO has been placed in the scales applicable to the AOs only. We elaborately presented our case and the injustice done to our Cadre by the Sixth Central Pay Commission and the Government through its Notification. The response from DAI was positive and she assured that our case would be pursued with Finance Ministry with due care and attention.
Removal of age limit for promotion to I.A. & A.S.
At present, Sr.Audit/Accounts Officers are promoted to the IA&AS Cadre, according to the All India Seniority List maintained by the C & AG’s Office. But only those who have not completed 53 years of age, on the 1st July of the Panel Year are considered for empanelment. Others are not considered, even if they are otherwise qualified. This is a great injustice done to the Sr.AOs working in the Department who are stagnating for more than 15 years in the same cadre. In no other Department of the Central Government this kind of discrimination is shown to Group B Gazetted Officers. Even though the C&AG had, in the informal meetings, accepted that this was an injustice, nothing has been done in practice to remove this grave injustice. Hence the ceiling should be removed immediately. The response from DAI was positive and she explained that the department had taken much care to remove the backlog vacancies in the promotion quota in the IAAS cadre and that the situation would be reviewed after clearing the entire backlog vacancies.
Placing Sr.AOs promoted to I.A. & A.S. directly in the rank of DAG/DD instead of AAG/AD recognising their long years of experience.
At present, the Sr.AOs promoted to I.A. & A.S. cadre will be initially given the rank of A.A.G/A.D only. This is also another injustice done to the cadre of Sr.AOs. This Sr.AOs and AAGs are drawing identical scales of pay and their nature of work is also almost identical. The Sr.AOs deserves to be directly placed in the rank of DAG/Deputy Director, without being kept on probation for 2 years as A.A.G. Such probation would be appropriate only for the Direct Recruits and not to the promotee Officers with vast experience. It is pertinent to point out that the recruitment rules of IAS stipulates that the gazetted officers of the State Service will be placed in the senior times scale directly on induction in to IAS. The absence of such a stipulation in the recruitment rules of IA&AS has lead to an unacceptable anomalous situation much to the disadvantage of the SAOs of IA&AD denying them due recognition of their experience and expertise. The recruitment rules need to be revised to undo the injustice being meted out to the SAOs. The DAI stated that this view would be accommodated when a cadre review was taken up.
Increasing Promotion Quota to I.A &A.S. to 50% from the existing 33 1/3%.
There are nearly 5000 AOs/SAOs working in the I.A. & A.D. The number of IA&AS Officers working in the Department is nearly 900. Out of this, only 33 1/3 % (i.e.) 300 posts are available for promotion to nearly 5000 officers. This is totally inadequate and not in consonance with the number of AOs/SAOs working in the Department. Hence promotion quota needs be increased to 50% of the total strength of IA&AS cadre. In the Income Tax, Central Excise, Customs and other Central Government Departments, the promotion quota to Group ‘A’ posts has already been increased to 50%.The DAI has assured the delegation that this demand would be taken care of while formulating the Cadre review in our Department.
Cadre Review:
The cadre of SAOs has no promotional prospects in the department except for induction to IA & AS cadre. The induction is also a very small percentage with the conditionality of age restriction etc. This has resulted in persons stagnating in the same cadre for more than 10 to 12 years resulting in frustration coupled with de-motivation. To remove this acute stagnation and also to meet the functional needs of the department there is an urgent need to have fresh review of the cadre providing more promotional opportunities to the SAOs in the department. DAI responded that there is a proposal for a cadre review in this department. The proposal is yet to crystallise. There is tremendous work going on in respect of this in the Department. She also assured that this department would take in to confidence of the Officer’s Federation after crystallising its view in this regard.
Certain issues were also been discussed with DAI informally like, submission of food bills, travel bills for claiming the DA entitlements. Our authorities’ response is very negative in respect of accepting the Self Certification for Food bills and Travel bills. They fail to realise the difficulties faced by our Officers while on tour in respect of production of food bills and travel bills. Our Delegation had clearly presented our views in this regard as follows. The latest clarification of entitlement of TA/DA claims added further confusions. It is very obvious that the 6th Pay Commission accepted the concept of increasing the Daily Allowances whenever our Dearness Allowance increases. Whereas the Government had clarified that an option of choosing the new DA package or old DA pattern thus denying the Pay Commission benefits to those persons who have opted for the old DA pattern. It is illegal, and illogical to deny the benefits of revisions of Daily allowance entitlements even after 10 years to those who opted for old DA pattern. Hence the Clarification must be the double the rate of old DA pattern or new DA/TA entitlements would be the logical one. The DAI responded positively for this fact presented by us in this regard. She agreed to pursue this case with the Finance Ministry to enhance the old DA pattern for at least 100 percent.
We insisted that Welfare Officer Post should be created in each Audit/Accounts office without reference to the total number of staff working in that office. Further the Welfare officer post should be filled up on the basis of strictly on seniority. The DAI agreed to examine this issue. There are some positive indications in respect of the Group ‘A’ status to Sr.Aos of this Department. But DOPT clearance will be the ultimate end for this demand.
Meeting with Finance Secretary:
Placing Sr.AOs promoted to I.A. & A.S. directly in the rank of DAG/DD instead of AAG/AD recognising their long years of experience.
At present, the Sr.AOs promoted to I.A. & A.S. cadre will be initially given the rank of A.A.G/A.D only. This is also another injustice done to the cadre of Sr.AOs. This Sr.AOs and AAGs are drawing identical scales of pay and their nature of work is also almost identical. The Sr.AOs deserves to be directly placed in the rank of DAG/Deputy Director, without being kept on probation for 2 years as A.A.G. Such probation would be appropriate only for the Direct Recruits and not to the promotee Officers with vast experience. It is pertinent to point out that the recruitment rules of IAS stipulates that the gazetted officers of the State Service will be placed in the senior times scale directly on induction in to IAS. The absence of such a stipulation in the recruitment rules of IA&AS has lead to an unacceptable anomalous situation much to the disadvantage of the SAOs of IA&AD denying them due recognition of their experience and expertise. The recruitment rules need to be revised to undo the injustice being meted out to the SAOs. The DAI stated that this view would be accommodated when a cadre review was taken up.
Increasing Promotion Quota to I.A &A.S. to 50% from the existing 33 1/3%.
There are nearly 5000 AOs/SAOs working in the I.A. & A.D. The number of IA&AS Officers working in the Department is nearly 900. Out of this, only 33 1/3 % (i.e.) 300 posts are available for promotion to nearly 5000 officers. This is totally inadequate and not in consonance with the number of AOs/SAOs working in the Department. Hence promotion quota needs be increased to 50% of the total strength of IA&AS cadre. In the Income Tax, Central Excise, Customs and other Central Government Departments, the promotion quota to Group ‘A’ posts has already been increased to 50%.The DAI has assured the delegation that this demand would be taken care of while formulating the Cadre review in our Department.
Cadre Review:
The cadre of SAOs has no promotional prospects in the department except for induction to IA & AS cadre. The induction is also a very small percentage with the conditionality of age restriction etc. This has resulted in persons stagnating in the same cadre for more than 10 to 12 years resulting in frustration coupled with de-motivation. To remove this acute stagnation and also to meet the functional needs of the department there is an urgent need to have fresh review of the cadre providing more promotional opportunities to the SAOs in the department. DAI responded that there is a proposal for a cadre review in this department. The proposal is yet to crystallise. There is tremendous work going on in respect of this in the Department. She also assured that this department would take in to confidence of the Officer’s Federation after crystallising its view in this regard.
Certain issues were also been discussed with DAI informally like, submission of food bills, travel bills for claiming the DA entitlements. Our authorities’ response is very negative in respect of accepting the Self Certification for Food bills and Travel bills. They fail to realise the difficulties faced by our Officers while on tour in respect of production of food bills and travel bills. Our Delegation had clearly presented our views in this regard as follows. The latest clarification of entitlement of TA/DA claims added further confusions. It is very obvious that the 6th Pay Commission accepted the concept of increasing the Daily Allowances whenever our Dearness Allowance increases. Whereas the Government had clarified that an option of choosing the new DA package or old DA pattern thus denying the Pay Commission benefits to those persons who have opted for the old DA pattern. It is illegal, and illogical to deny the benefits of revisions of Daily allowance entitlements even after 10 years to those who opted for old DA pattern. Hence the Clarification must be the double the rate of old DA pattern or new DA/TA entitlements would be the logical one. The DAI responded positively for this fact presented by us in this regard. She agreed to pursue this case with the Finance Ministry to enhance the old DA pattern for at least 100 percent.
We insisted that Welfare Officer Post should be created in each Audit/Accounts office without reference to the total number of staff working in that office. Further the Welfare officer post should be filled up on the basis of strictly on seniority. The DAI agreed to examine this issue. There are some positive indications in respect of the Group ‘A’ status to Sr.Aos of this Department. But DOPT clearance will be the ultimate end for this demand.
Meeting with Finance Secretary:
The Secretary General met the Finance Secretary in his chamber on 17th April at 3.00 PM. He explained our position and difficulties being faced by this cadre in respect of up-gradation of Grade pay and further explained that the anomaly cases of Group B Officers would not be considered in the Anomaly Committee recently appointed by the Government, the Finance Secretary agreed to examine the case of establishing the mechanism to redress the anomaly cases arising out of 6th pay commission for Group B Officers.
He further explained that the difficulty faced by our officers in respect of submission of Food bills, Travel bills while on tour. The Finance Secretary responded positively and he agreed that it is a genuine issue and that he would examine this case.
General Body Meeting in DGCR office:
He further explained that the difficulty faced by our officers in respect of submission of Food bills, Travel bills while on tour. The Finance Secretary responded positively and he agreed that it is a genuine issue and that he would examine this case.
General Body Meeting in DGCR office:
The Lunch Hour General Body meeting of all Audit Officers/Sr.Audit Officers was arranged by the Association of Sr.Audit Officers/Audit Officers in a very short notice on 17th April at DGCR Office. The response from the Officers was very impressive. The National executive thanked the executive committee of the Association of Sr.Audit Officers and Audit Officers for their organisational commitment.
We may get so many commitments from the authorities at various times and at various levels. Ultimately these would be implemented only if a viable organisation at field level is ready for sustained organisational programmes. Be prepared for an organisational programme to defeat the forces who question our self respect and to enhance our working environment for the better.
Yours Fraternally,
S.Mohan
We may get so many commitments from the authorities at various times and at various levels. Ultimately these would be implemented only if a viable organisation at field level is ready for sustained organisational programmes. Be prepared for an organisational programme to defeat the forces who question our self respect and to enhance our working environment for the better.
Yours Fraternally,
S.Mohan
Secretary General
