LETTER SENT BY GS ON ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING

To,

Ms.Kalpana Rajsinghot

Director (Estt. & DE) &

Member Secretary of the Committee.

Department of Posts,

Dak Bhavan, Sansad Marg,

New Delhi 110 001.

Subject:  Regarding organizational Restructuring in Department of Posts.

Reference: letter No. 23-1/2012-PE-II  dated 10-5-2012

1. The department has issued the above letter calling view of the Association regarding organizational restructuring in DOP. It is seen that main stress of the department is to help executives structure their enterprise to create accountability for results. This move of the department is appreciable and will definitely go a long way, if done, keeping in view the interest of organization as a whole and administrative side particularly.
2. With the invent of technology on DOP and Consequent upon introduction of new business branches, the Department of Posts is on the verge of conversion 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 and to the most adhering to the norms fixed on citizen charter. All these projects are being implemented with the support and incessant hard work of IP cadre, PS Group “B” officers who are proposed to be elevated to Class-I with the proposal to upgrade Class-II Divisions to Class-I. It will not be wrong to say that the total responsibility for successful implementing the various innovative schemes has virtually devolved on the IP and ASP/Group “B”. Thus without taking into consideration career prospective of IP/ASP/Group “B” officer no organizational Restructuring will work.
3. There has been no upgrading or cadre restructuring of the apex Grade of these cadres. Owing to extreme stagnancy there is resultant frustration amongst the incumbents of this cadre. Even after acquiring long years of experience and expertise they are not elevated to Group “B” what to say of Class-I. All these are not only the root cause of frustration amongst the IP cadre but these are also an impediment in effective execution of administrative policies and plan. This is bound to have an adverse impact on the efficiency of the department. Thus, cadre review along with proposed organizational Restructuring is the solution.
4. An inspector of post offices  feels over burdened at the beginning of his career  as he has to do every type of work in his office may be of  a peon in his own office, clerk & typist as it is a single man office who bears the brunt of all failings in the department as he is at the lowest rung in the administrative hierarchy. “The results – he thinks of leaving the department to join other establishment thereby brain drain. No organization can last long with the service of its frustrated employees. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the backbone of the department with a fair deal. All existing Sub Divisions should be provided office staff and post of Mail Overseer can be converted to Asstt. Inspector (PA cadre/system manager). 
5. At present 141 HSG-I postmaster posts are filled from ASPs, now in view of  Postal Directorate letter no 4-19/2012 – SPB – II dated 02.05.2012, the provision of filling up of HSG I posts by ASPOs will not be possibly operated thereby diminishing our promotional prospects. In order to compensate IP/ASPs and to keep us in administration hierarchy separate posts of SP (Technology & BD) may be created in each proposed class-I division.
6. It is one of the best ideas and will be in the betterment of things if organisational restructuring is done along with cadre review in the revised format in view of changed scenario.
7. However in view of the terms of reference of Committee the views of IPASP Association are as under:

Ø  Creation of new Postal Divisions and Regions as well as upgradation of Class II Divisions into Class I Divisions: In our beloved country there are 28 States and 7UTs so all the states and if justified UTs should have independent Circle HQ, the concept of Region should be dole out. To avoid duplicacy of work RO may be merged with Circle by creating the post of PMG (BD & Technology).However bigger States can have more than one independent Circle(s) on the Telecom Circles analogy. The Class-II postal Division should  be upgraded to Class-I in the following format:

ü  General administration: The posts of ASP (HQ) and that of sub divisional heads can be included in this category under the control of Class-I Divisions. All the posts of ASP (HQ) and IP/ASP (Sub Divisions) should be elevated to PS Group “B”. Examination system as in vogue presently should be dispensed with immediately as it is creating junior/senior impediment. Only experienced Inspector line officials should be promoted to PS Group “B” those should be further elevated to Class-I There should be no entry of General line official in the General administration. Their entry should only be restricted to Sr. Postmaster Cadre only.  

ü  Inspection & investigation:  A separate Inspection and investigation units should be created at Circle level. This can be compositions of Inspectors headed by PS Group ’B’ officers under the control of DPS (IR/INV) by creating new posts of JAG. Beside investigation/vigilance visits, the inspection work of all the HOs /divisional offices and bad offices should be entrusted to this unit. The other inspection work can be done by Sub Divisional officers along with his set team. Consequently upon introduction of Core Banking Solution (CBS) on DOP and decentralization of PLI ,there is need  to have separate inspection team to inspect and monitor the work of CBS &PLI  at Circle level. So it is suggested that two units one for CBS on the pattern of Banks and PLI should also be established under the control of Class-I officer.   

ü  Business, technological & allied works: The present incumbent   working as System Manager & MEs can be posted on the basis of some benchmark to be fixed by department on justified posts immediately by creating equal number of Post. They can put under the supervision of PS Group “B” officer by creating the post of SP (Technology) in each Class-I division.

ü   Sr. Postmaster Cadre: As per Postmaster recruitment rules 2010, 25% of posts in the grade of Sr. Postmaster are to be filled up by promotion of Postmaster Gr.III with 2 years of regular service in the grade including regular service in HSG- I and 75% through IPs only through LDCE. Further the Sr. Postmaster will form part in combined Group “B” officer list after availing one opportunity of elevation through examination so department should do away with PS Group “B” examination system which is otherwise also giving rise to litigations. The presently working general line PS Group “B” officer may be posted as Sr. Postmaster en-block particularly in view of DOPT instructions to keep IP line separate from general line. There should be no entry of General line officials to administration & vice versa. Even the Inspector Post appeared in Sr. Postmaster exam after rendering 6 year service as IP should have no right to come back to the administrative line. In Class-I such promote should only be posted as Chief Postmaster on Class-I posts.

Ø  Organizational restructuring of field formations: At present, duplicacy of work is being done in Regional Offices. Hence, there is no need of RO.There should be only Circles. All establishment working in ROs be shifted to Circles and utilised for implementation/monitoring of decisions of the Department. Each revenue District should have atleast Class-I division(s) and Tehsil/Taluka should have Class-II Sub Division. In case any extra division i.e more than one  division is justified in any particular District as per existing norms or being framed by the committee then the district can have two or more divisions.    

Ø  upgradation of Post Offices: There should not be any single handed SO in the DOP and as such all single handed SOs may be considered for closure and existing manpower be utilized in other needy post offices. Status of all triple handed SOs be upgraded as LSG/PM Grade-I converting them into a delivery Post Offices. Simultaneously the Status of all LSG/PM Grade-I SOs be upgraded as HSG-II/PM Grade-II and that of HSG-II/PM Grade-II HOs/SOs be upgraded as HSG-I/PM Grade-III. There should not be any departmental Post Office with in the distance of 2Km. 

Ø  Creation of Posts of Assistants / Sorting Assistants Posts in view of the increased need of System Administrators. With the enormous increase of work pressure on the Postal Sub-Divisional Heads, one post each of PA and system manager should be attached with the Sub-Division to look after computer related work of the post offices under the control of respective sub division and other clerical work.

           In my views, there is no harm to upgrade Class-II divisions to Class-I but simultaneously the posts of ASP (HQ), ASP (Sub Divisions) must be upto PS Group “B”. This will definitely prove result oriented and every cadre will provide their true commitment to various policies and programmes of the department by ensuring its successful implementation. All the Sub Divisions may be upgraded to Class-II level and should be provided with adequate infrastructure and manpower as the work in the sub Divisions has been increased manifold and without the assistance it is difficult to run the Sub Division efficiently.

Punjab Circle IPASP Association is grateful to GS for incorporating their views in the above letter