INCREDIBLE ATTITUDE

I often get “gels” feeling when I read commentaries on the blog giving me boost sometime and uninspiring attitude on the other. Not all this deter me from doing best out of the worst for the cadre man because all IPs are made to suffer in the department. Anyway let me begin by stating that--are we not posing threat to ourselves by reflecting different ideas at the same time?, having no faith in the leadership whom we have given a command. I am just writing this as I came across an address that really moved me in that way and I just wanted to share it.

In the just fragmentary meeting at Directorate, the attitude of the officers sitting at the helm of affairs was very positive. They agreed that Inspector posts is the Chief constituent of the executive arm of the Department and there must be better promotional avenues for IP cadre through cadre restructuring. I cannot make out for what we are afraid. My beloved ASP Mr. Rajan is disappointed, as his suggestions are not being pursued. His concern is acceptable but with due apology I may make it clear that complexity should not be created by mixing all the suggestions in one go. Rather matter should be taken one by one for better results. As regards workload issue, our Directorate has already called for Est. Review of the Sub Divisions to rationalize the workload. Association can pursue the creation of New Sub Divisions by linking this with the transfer of 141 HSG-I posts to Postmaster cadre. I may be wrong when I said that feeder cadre post cannot be more than promotional posts i.e PS Group “B” having higher responsibility I repeat higher responsibility, but at the same time I will request my Ld. IPs to quote one instance where posts having higher responsibility are more than the feeder cadre posts. The case of JAO & AAO can said to be similar to that of IP & ASP, both given one-step promotion to reduce stagnation in the cadre and PS Group “B” is comparable to  A.O. Our problem is that IPs are Group-B (Non Gazetted) and ASPs are Group-B (Gazetted) both non-functional whereas JAO & AAOs though non-functional were conferred Gazetted status only after merger.

The answers to other comments posted on the blog are as under:      

1. If Punjab CAT judgment implemented at once why not Ernakulam CAT.

Ans: Punjab case was entirely different to that of Ernakulam. In Punjab case, only DOP was involved whereas in the GP issue MOF is also involved. In our case, officers from Directorate admitted that vacancies were not calculated as per recruitment rules as such department was not having any other option except to revise the vacancies which were in fact calculated originally at branch level and were misrepresented at final stage but before announcement. OA has been allowed in GP case also so nothing to worry. As regards GP to ASP and SPOs is concerned, it is to be looked into how department moves in this case.

2.Since three years DPC for Gr-B not held. Where as LDCE result published an 23 General line already appointed. Whether officials from DPC will not be in the gradation list below the 23 general line officers. They may not get promotion of Gr-A. So why not DPC will considered on year wise basis so that they will not loose seniority.

Ans: Group B DPC is held every year without dispute. However, JTS DPC has been conducted after a gap of 3 years so the aggrieved/ effected officers can go to the Court for Justice. In such cases, they will definitely get benefit with all consequential benefits. Hitherto in many cases the department has to create supernumerary posts to adjust all the senior to that of irregularly promoted juniors.

3.All the 6% post of general line filled-up. Where dept will bring 29 posts for Sr.PM

Ans.The department will post (have to post) the junior as Sr. Postmaster within the share of 52 posts (29+23) else may create supernumerary posts. It is sure that we will not allow any effect on IP line posts.

4.To appear Sr.PM exam it reqires IP service of 6 years, whereas for Gr-B(HIGHSTATUS including Sr.PM) it requires 5 years IP. What is this?

Ans: Frankly speaking, the Postmaster recruitment rule-2010 seems to be formulated in a haste. How it can be justifiable that IPs in the GP of Rs. 4200/- having six years service are only eligible to appear in the said examination and the ASPs having 6 years entire service in both IP and ASP are not eligible. The department should take step to amend these rules as the rules have other problems also.This is the only way to avoid legal implications.

5.Service period to appear PM-I exam counted as on 18.05.11 that is last date of submission of application form where as for Sr.PM exam it is as on 01.01.11(both are in same cadre of PM). Why this?

Ans: It should be 01.01.11 in both the cases. Rather cut of date should be 1^st Jan of vacancy year. This is so because Postmaster recruitment rules-2010 are defective ones. In the case of Sr. Postmaster still the vacancies are to be notified so it is not clear from where these will arrive. At present, we have no alternative except to watch and wait.

6.General line officers with many years of service qualified in Gr-B accommodated in same circle, where as DPC approved senior Gr-B officer on the verge of retirement allotted to other circle. Whether this is the rule?

Ans: This is my concern also. I have already requested our GS to take up this case with Directorate. When IPs, under the rules, cannot be posted in their home division then how the General line official can be posted in the home circle.

 7.LSG/HSG officials opted for PM cadre cannot withdraw their applications as per provio of rule of PM cadre. However some circles allowed to appear Gr-B exam and few passed and posted in Gr-B. Whether this is correct as some circles did not allow.

Ans: This is a clear cut case of discrimination thereby infringement  to Article 14 and 21 of the constitution. 

Big Win for IPs. Congrats to Permanand & Co.

Source: Kerala Blog.

Today the Hon'ble CAT Ernakulam Bench has allowed ( OA No. 381/2010) with a direction to the Secretary (Ministry of Finance) (1st respondent) to take necessary action to upgrade the Grade Pay of Inspector Posts to Rs. 4600/- at par with Inspectors in CBDT/CBEC, as per the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission. The Hon'ble Tribunal also observed that this would make the GP of IPs at par with the present GP of ASPs and hence it would be desirable to upgrade the GP of ASPs as well accordingly. Copy of the judgement is likely to be received shortly.

Finally, we get justice. Kudos to Permanand & Co. Regards to Judiciary. 

Now Association can press for big cadre review.  

Gist of cadre restructuring meeting held at DTE on 18.10.2011

Admn Side : Member (P), DDG (Estt), DDG (Rectt),Director(SR) & one officer from Finance.

Staff Side : Shri Roop Chand (GS), Shri Hari Mohan (CS, Punjab)

Q 1. You have agreed merger of IP/ASP to Inspector Posts for grant of GP of Rs.4600/- to IPs. Where is that proposal?

A 1. Madam, Our members are not ready to forego the Gazetted Status, so this proposal is not agreeable to the Association. We have another proposal of merger of ASPs to PS Gr B being both Gazetted status. All the Sub Divisions can be upgraded to the cadre of SPOs and the posts of SPOs be upgraded to JTS/STS.

Q 2. This will create functional problem. However this can be relooked after JTS/STS Cadre review. Why you are so adamant in retaining the Gazetted status.

A2. No Madam, it is a social status that matters.

Q 3. Anyway, come on with viable proposal that can be accepted to DG(P), DOPT, MOE, you cannot get more than 200 posts in cadre restructuring.

A 3. Madam, we have even Presidential approval for 245 posts so less than these are not acceptable to the Association.

Q 4. Department can consider upgradation of all the posts of ASP (HQ)/OS to PSS Gr B in all STS/JTS Divisions, where there is no posts of SP (HQ).
A 4. With this the number IPs will not reach the total of 250. Kindly consider up gradation of all the posts of Manager Speed Post Hubs manned by ASP level officer to PS Gr B. The post of ASP/IP (Vig), ASP/IP (Inv) can be upgraded to the level of AD (Vig) and AD (Inv) where these at present are supervised by APMG level officer.

Final Reply. No Problem. This is workable. DDG (Estt) to collect the data from Circles before the next meeting scheduled to be held on 03.11.2011. 

Conclusion: From the meeting it was aspired that department is very much inclined to place the IPs in GP of Rs.4600/- and up gradation of around 250 IP/ASP post to PS Group B. Rest of ASPs will be merged to Inspector Posts in GP of Rs.4600/- (Non Gazetted) till they are elevated to PS Group B.

PREFACE TO CADRE RESTRUCTURING

As already notified, a meeting of the committee constituted for looking into promotional prospects of IPs/ASPs is scheduled to be held on 18/10/2011 under the Chairpersonship of Member (P) in K.R.Murthy Room, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi. Punjab CS is under immense pressure to attend it. So keeping in view of the sentiments of IP/ASP of Punjab Circle and other like-minded IP/ASP from other Circles, it has been decided by the President of Punjab wing IPASP Association to depute CS Punjab to join the meeting in the larger interest of the cadre. It is now nearly thirty years since the 2^nd review proposal is hanging in the files of Directorate. And, this is almost the first positive sign that is in the offing so we should grab it for possible betterment with both hands. Moreover, this is the correct platform to realize the department that IPs/ ASPs are being deprived of their legitimate rights thereby the deterioration in postal services being offered by the Department. The Department is going on the way to convert it into a dynamic organization with projects like changing ambience of the offices, providing good working environment to the staff, providing comfort to potential customers or visitors and various long lasting projects like Digitization of Records, Core Banking, Mail Optimization, Consumer Price Index, Aadhaar Technology, Biometric systems etc etc... All these projects are being implemented with the support and incessant hard work of IP cadre. Thus, it will not be wrong to say that the total responsibility for successful implementation of the various innovative schemes has virtually devolved on the IPs and ASPs. Without having adequate staff in Group ‘B’ these cannot be implemented in the manner department intends. There is also extreme stagnancy and resultant frustration amongst the incumbents of the cadre. Even after acquiring long years of experience and expertise, they remain and mostly retire in the ASP cadre. Hence, the only solution with the department is cadre review. With the discernible motive, following proposal will be a part of discussion.

1.    Upgradation of all the Sub divisions to PS Group ‘B’ divisions with independent charge and powers as presently divisional heads have. The present divisions manned by SPO/SSPOs may be upgraded to Class-I and entrusted with the Technology, Project Arrow, Mail optimization, recruitment and PLI/RPLI work that has been recently decentralized.

2.  The Association should not have any objection to surrender 64 Sr. Postmaster posts presently held by IPs/ASPs, subject to the condition that equal number of posts are created in Circle offices/Regional offices and in divisions commensurate to the work load under matching saving. This will also be a solution to the query raised by DOPT with the question how department is retaining operational (Postmaster cadre) and ASP/SP (Administrative Cadre) in one hierarchy. In that case General line officials should not have right to enter in PS Group “B” as they can retain 52 Sr. Postmaster posts and 141 HSG-I posts as per DOPT orders.

Named comments and suggestion are solicited.