SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

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Monday 23 January 2017

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES
ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION GRAMIN DAK SEVAK
MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE GDS COMMITTEE
The Committee’s major recommendations are summarized below.
1.      The old system of payment of Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) is dispensed with and replaced with a new wage payment system. Under the new wage payment system, 11 TRCA slabs are subsumed into 3 Wage Scales with two Levels each for BPMs and for other than BPMs One wage scale would be common for both the categories of GDSs.
New Wage Scales
1. 10,000               -           24,470 (Other than BPM Level 1)
2. 12,000               -           29,380 (Other than BPM Level 2 & BPM Level 1)
3. 14,500               -           35,480 (BPM Level 2)
2.      The minimum working hours of GDS Post offices and GDSs is increased to 4 hours from 3 hours.
3.      The new working hours for GDS Post Offices will be 4 hours and 5 hours only.
4.      The Level 1 GDS Post Offices/GDSs will have 4 hours as working hours and Level- 2 will have 5 hours as working hours.
5.      The Point System for assessment of workload of BPMs has been abolished.
6.      The new wage payment system is linked to revenue generation of GDS Post Offices. Under the new system, there will be no increase in wages of BPMs from Level – 1 to Level – 2 on the basis of workload but the same will be increased based on achievement of prescribed revenue norms which is fixed at 100% for normal areas and 50% for special areas which presently have 15% anticipated income norms.
7.      The GDS Post Offices not achieving the prescribed revenue norm within the given working hours will have to open GDS Post Offices for minimum of additional 30 minutes beyond the prescribed working hours.
8.      The GDSs BPMs will be paid Revenue Linked Allowance @10% beyond Level 2 wage scale if they will be successful in achieving revenue beyond prescribed norms.
9.      The GDS Post Offices has been categorized into A, B, C and D categories based on the revenue generation norms. The GDS Post Office in A category will achieve 100% revenue. The Committee has recommended a set of actions for each category of GDS Post Offices.
10.  The six approved categories of GDs are subsumed into two categories only. One category will be Branch Post Master and all other 5 categories of GDSs are subsumed into one Multi Tasking Category.
11.  The job profile of Multi Tasking GDS is expanded to include work such as Business Development and Marketing etc. Their jobs will no more be confined to their old designations. The Assistant BPM will assist BPMs for increasing revenue generation.
12.  The GDSs working in the GDS Post Offices will be known as Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPMs) and those working in the Departmental Post Offices will be known as Dak Sevak (DS).
13.  The minimum wage has been increased to Rs.10000/- per month and maximum to Rs.35,480/- per month.
14.  The rate of annual increase is recommended as 3%.
15.  A Composite Allowance comprising of support for hiring accommodation for GDS Post Offices as well as mandatory residence, office maintenance, mobile and electricity usage charges etc. has been introduced for the first time.
16.  Children Education Allowance @ Rs.6000/- per child per annum has been introduced for GDSs.
17.  Risk & Hardship Allowance@ Rs.500/- per month for GDSs working in the special areas has also been introduced.
18.  A Financial upgradation has been introduced at 12 years, 24 years and 36 years of services in form of two advance additional annual increases.
19.  The Celling of ex-gratia gratuity has been increased from Rs.60,000 to Rs.5,00,000/-.
20.  The GDS Contribution for Service Discharge Benefit Scheme (SDBS) should be enhanced maximum up to 10% and minimum up to 3% of the basic wage per month, whereas the Department should contribute a fixed contribution of 3% of the basic wage of the GDSs.
21.  The coverage of GDS Group Insurance Scheme has been enhanced from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.5,00,000/-.
22.  The contribution of Department in Circle Welfare Fund (CWF) has been increased from Rs.100/- per annum to Rs.300/- per annum.
23.  The scope of CWF is extended to cover immediate family members such as spouse; daughters, sons and dependent daughters in law in the scheme.
24.  The Committee also recommended 10% hike in the prescribed limits of financial grants and assistance in the Circle Welfare Fund.
25.  The Committee has recommended addition of Rs.10,000/- for purchase of Tablet/Mobile from the Circle Welfare Fund in the head “Financial Assistance from Fund by way of loans with lower rate of interest (5%)”.
26.  Provision of 26 weeks of Maternity Leave for women GDSs has been recommended.
27.  The wages for the entire period of Maternity Leave is recommended to be paid from salary head from where wages of GDSs are paid.
28.  The Committee has also recommended one week of Paternity Leave.
29.  The Committee has recommended 5 days of emergency leave per annum.
30.  Leave accumulation and encashment facility up to 180 days has been introduced.
31.  Online system of engagement has been recommended.
32.  The maximum age limit of 50 years for Direct Recruitment of GDSs has been abolished.
33.  Minimum one year of GDS service will now be required for GDSs for Direct Recruitment into Department cadres such as MTS/Postman/Mail Guard.
34.  Alternate livelihood condition for engagement of GDSs has been relaxed.
35.  Voluntary Discharge Scheme has been recommended.
36.  The Discharge age has been retained at 65 years.
37.  The Limited Transfer Facility has been relaxed from 1 time to 3 times for male GDSs. There will be no restriction on number of chances for transfer of women GDSs. The power for transfer has been delegated to the concerned Divisional head.
38.  The ex-gratia payment during put off period should be revised to 35% from 25% of the wage and DA drawn immediately before put off.
39.  The Committee has recommended preferring transfer before put off duty.
40.  The Compassionate Engagement of GDSs has been relaxed to give benefits to eligible dependents in all cases of death of GDS while in servic
Dear Comrades,
After going through the GDS Committee Report, the Committee observations and comments on GDS system and on GDS beside on the part of Department and Govt are so impressive and courageous.
In brief, the comments are extracted here :
…..The GDSs working in the net work of GDS Post Offices are Ambassadors of Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications in the rural and remote areas of India……
…..The Govt of India still holds the same position and has so far held that the Gramin Dak Sevaks are not departmental employees. They are outside the Civil Services of the Union and shall not claim to be at par with the Central Government Employees……
……Currently, a large number of well educated, talented and capable youths are joining GDS posts and strengthening the GDS system and this trend is likely to propel growth of the Department in the coming days……
……. The Committee observed that in last several decades, the Department has not invested enough to strengthen the network of GDS Post Offices until recently……
……. The quality of life of GDSs and their family’s needs to be improved by  harmonizing their wages and other emoluments in tune with present day’s needs and aspirations of young GDSs joining the workforce….
……. The Committee also noted that a large number of them are totally dependent upon the emoluments received from the Department and has no other means of livelihood to supplement their income…….
…… The Committee views that the demand of regularization of their services is due to better emoluments, reliability and security of regular government service. The Committee noted that GDSs are exploited at the hands of their local supervisors because of existing wage structure and their legal status. The administrative powers such as “put off duty” are exercised on frivolous charges and frequently used for exploitation rather than as remedial measures.
…… The Department recognizes the engagement of GDSs as contractual, but the present method of engagement and disciplinary proceedings, job contents, risks and responsibilities are getting closer to the regular employees of the department….
…...that there is tendency to withhold the legitimate demands of GDSs which are due to them, based on the apprehension that they will get closer to regular employees and their claim for regularization will be strengthened in the Court of Law, if such demands are allowed. The Committee finds this as unreasonable and counter productive for the Department. It also deprives them of living a happy life in the changed situation where financial dependence on GDS position is increasing day by day because of shrinking alternate means of livelihood…….
…….the Department has lost its tag of having the largest network for providing financial services to the customers by decelerating expansion of network based on the assumption that GDS post offices are loss making and adding to the overall deficit of the Department….
….The Committee observed that the ‘Rationalization of Postal Network Scheme’ has also not worked on the expected line….. the Committee supports the demand for presence of postal facility in the headquarters of each of 2.50 lakhs Gram Panchayats and revamping of PSSK and FO Schemes my making it more remunerative as opening of regular or GDS Post Office in each of such location may not be feasible….
…….the GDS Post Offices, is around 45% of the total deficit (Net Expenditure – Revenue) of Rs.6258.60 crores and around 15% of the total expenditure of Rs.17894.58 crores in the Financial year 2014-15………..the Committee found that total expenditure on GDS system is far less than deficit of the Department.
………. Future survival of the Department will largely depend on the successful management of GDS Post Offices, which effectively for its “soul”.. It would be difficult for the Department to survive without the soul…..
…….trust of GDS network which enables the Department to deliver trustworthy services in each and every village of the country that can not be quantified in terms of revenue…
…..the Committee observed that the Sub Post Masters of single handed Sub Post Offices do not encourage Branch Post Masters to increase their workload as it results into increase in the workload of Sub Post Offices which they are unable to handle properly due to lack of manpower……
…… Sub Post Office by utilizing the services of capable and willing GDSs in the single handed sub post offices…..
….the India Post Payment Bank which is going to be rolled out shortly will use the strengths of the GDS net work and experiences of more than 2.60 lakhs trustworthy Gramin Dak Sevaks serving in the Department of Posts….
…..the GDS network can potentially wipe out the deficit (gap between the expenditure and revenue) of the Department and emerge as rural digital hubs for delivery of DBT and other postal, financial, remittance, third party and several e-services to the rural population and forming an integral part of fulfilling SABKA SAATH  SABKA VIKAS agenda of the Central Government.
source: GDS Committe Report (Executive Summary)
=P.Pandurangarao
General Secretary
Dear comrades,

            Shri Kamalesh Chandra Committee submitted report on GDS system to the Department & Government on 24th November 2016.
            The copy of the Report published in DoP website on 18-01-2017.
            It contains 434 pages with 20 Chapters and 39 Annexures with some other pages. 
Downing loading of the Report Copy once at a time is more time taking and felt difficulty.
AIPEU GrC CHQ made it Chapter-wise links for the convenience of down loading easily and links are given below:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (3 PAGES)
The following Annexures contains Statistical tables, data collection and etc.,
ANNEXURE : 01 - 10 (37 PAGES)
ANNEXURES : 11 - 15 (41 PAGES)
ANNEXURES : 16 - 25 (31 PAGES)
ANNEXURES : 26 -30 (25 PAGES)
ANNEXURES : 31 - 39 ( 30 PAGES)

Thursday 27 October 2016

GDS Bonus @ Rs.7000- issue has been discussed in JCM (NC) Standing Committee meeting with the Govt.
 GDS BONUS ENHANCEMENT TO Rs.7000-

      This issue was discussed in the JCM Standing Committee meeting as a notified agenda. The official side informed that the file is still under process in the Finance Ministry and a decision is yet to be taken. Once the approval of the Finance Ministry is given the proposal is to be submitted to Cabinet for approval.

      All affiliates and C-O-Cs are once again requested to extend full support and solidarity to the proposed Postal Strike on 9th & 10th November 2016, demanding bonus calculation ceiling limit enhancement to 7000/- for GDS and immediate payment of revised wages to casual labourers from 01.01.2006. Conduct solidarity demonstration in front of important Postal/RMS office on 9th & 10th November 2016.
Temporary Employee to be paid at par with regular worker: SC

HIGHLIGHTS

SC said contractual employees are entitled to wages at par with permanent employee
  • Principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ must be followed, SC said
  • Undoubtedly, the action pf paying lesser wage is oppressive, the bench said
NEW DELHI: In a big relief to lakhs temporary employee who have been hired by government departments and agencies across the country on contractual basis, the Supreme Court on Wednesday held that they are entitled to wages at par with permanent employees and principle of 'equal pay for equal work' must be followed.
A bench of Justices JS Khehar and SA Bobde said the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' constitutes a clear and unambiguous right vested in every employee whether engaged on regular or temporary basis.
"In our considered view, it is fallacious to determine artificial parameters to deny fruits of labour. An employee engaged for the same work, cannot be paid less than another, who performs the same duties and responsibilities. Certainly not, in a welfare state. Such an action besides being demeaning, strikes at the very foundation of human dignity," the bench said.
The bench said the principle had been expounded through a large number of judgments rendered by the apex court and and constitutes law declared by the Supreme Court.
"Any one, who is compelled to work at a lesser wage, does not do so voluntarily. He does so, to provide food and shelter to his family, at the cost of his self respect and dignity, at the cost of his self worth, and at the cost of his integrity. For he knows, that his dependents would suffer immensely, if he does not accept the lesser wage," Justice Khehar, who wrote the judgement, said.
"Any act, of paying less wages, as compared to others similarly situate, constitutes an act of exploitative enslavement, emerging out of a domineering position. Undoubtedly, the action is oppressive, suppressive and coercive, as it compels involuntary subjugation," he said.
The court passed the verdict on a bunch of petition filed by tempoary employee working for state of Punjab seeking wage parity with regular employee. They approached the apex court after Punjab and Haryana High Court held that temporary employees were not entitled to the minimum of the regular pay-scale, merely for reason, that the activities carried on by them and the regular employees were similar.
Setting aside the HC order, the apex court held that the principle of equal pay for equal work must be followed in the country as India was a signatory of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
"There can be no doubt, that the principle of equal pay for equal work would be applicable to all the concerned temporary employees, so as to vest in them the right to claim wages, at par with the minimum of the pay-scale of regularly engaged government employees, holding the same post,"it said.
"India is a signatory to the covenant, having ratified the same on April 10, 1979. There is no escape from the above obligation, in view of different provisions of the Constitution and in view of the law declared by this court under Article 141 of the Constitution of India, the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' constitutes a clear and unambiguous right and is vested in every employee - whether engaged on regular or temporary basis,"it said.
Read at: Times of India
FLASH NEWES
GDS BONUS ENHANCEMENT TO Rs.7000- Aproved by Cabinet Department  issued orders to grant Rs. 7000/- Arrears bonus for 2015-2016

Wednesday 12 October 2016

Parliament March on 15-12-2016 by CCGEW

CHALO DELHI ...... CHALO PARLIAMENT
15th DECEMBER 2016 CONFEDERATION PARLIAMENT MARCH
NDA GOVERNMENT & GROUP OF MINISTERS NOT HONOURED THEIR ASSURANCE TILL DATE.

*    HOME MINISTER SHRI. RAJNATH SINGH, FINANCE MINISTER SRI. ARUN JAITLEY & RAILWAY MINISTER SHRI.SURESH PRABHU HAS GIVEN THE ASSURANCE ON 30-06-2016 TO NJCA  LEADERS THAT MINIMUM PAY AND FITMENT FORMULA WILL BE ENHANCED.

*   FINANCE MINISTRY ISSUED PRESS STATEMENT ON 06-07-2016 CONFIRMING THE ASSURANCE AND STATED THAT A HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE WILL BE CONSTITUTED.

*   MINISTERS  ASSURED  FAVOURABLE  DECISION  WITHIN  FOUR  MONTHS TIME.
3 MONTHS ARE OVER.  NO HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE.  NO DECISION ON HRA & OTHER ALLOWANCES.  * ALL DEMANDS RAISED IN THE NJCA CHARTER OF DEMANDS PENDING * NO DECISION ON OPTION-I OF PENSIONERS * NO DECISION ON NEW PENSION SCHEME  * ALL ANOMALIES PENDING  * MOST RETROGRADE ORDERS ON MACP BENCH MARK AND HIERARCHY ISSUED WITHOUT CONSULTING JCM STAFF SIDE OR NJCA.
20000 CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES SHALL MARCH TO PARLIAMENTON 15th DECEMBER 2016.
ALL AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS AND C-O-CS ARE ONCE AGAIN REQUESTED TO MOBILISE MAXIMUM EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE IN PARLIAMENT MARCH AS PER QUOTA FIXED BY CONFEDERATION NATIONAL SECRETARIAT.  FIX QUOTA TO EACH STATE/BRANCH/UNIT OF EACH AFFILIATED ORGANISATION.  C-O-CS SHOULD FIX QUOTA TO EACH AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS IMMEDIATELY.
BOOK THE TRAVEL TICKETS NOW ITSELF.  DON’T WAIT FOR LAST MINUTE.  ADVANCE PLANNING MAY BE MADE.
COPY OF THE INSTRUCTIONS/CIRCULARS ISSUED BY EACH AFFILIATED ORGANISATION AND C-O-CS FIXING QUOTA TO ALL UNITS IN ALL STATES MAY BE EMAILED TO CONFEDERATION HEADQUARTERS FOR PUBLISHING IN WEBSITE. EMAIL: confederationhq@gmail.com or mkrishnan6854@gmail.com
C-O-C KERALA DECIDED TO ENSURE PARTICIPATION OF
500 EMPLOYEES FROM KERALA STATE.
NFPE 200, ITEF 50, AG’S 25, ISRO 10, AILRSA 10, DREU 10, SREECHITRA 5, ALL OTHER AFFILIATES 2 EACH.  DISTRICT COMMITTEE TRIVANDRUM - 25, DISTRICT COMMITTEE ERNAKULAM - 25, OTHER DISTRICT COMMTTEES - 10 EACH.
                                                                                          P. V. RAJENDRAN,
                                                                           GENERAL SECRETARY, KERALA.
ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION POSTMAN AND MTS DECIDED TO ENSURE PARTICIPATION OF 4000 EMPLOYEES.
(1) AP -200 (2) Assam-200 (3) Bihar 200 (4) Chattisgarh 200 (5) Delhi 500 (6) Gujarat -200 (7) Haryana 300 (8) HP 50 (9) J&K 25 (10) Jharkhand 25 (11) Karnatka 100 (12) Kerala 100 (13) MP 200 (14) Maharashtra 300 (15) NE 50 (16) Odisha 200 (17) Punjab 50 (18) Rajasthan -200 (19)Tamilnadu -100 (20) UP 500 (21) UK 100 (22) WB 200.
R. SEETHALAKSHMI
GENERAL SECRETARY
AIPEU POSTMEN AND MTS
ALL INDIA POSTAL EMPLOYEES UNION GROUP ‘C’ DECIDED TO ENSURE PARTICIPATION OF 4000 EMPLOYEES.
1. Andhra Pradesh – 200
12. Kerala – 200
23. Telangana - 100
2. Assam – 50
13. Maharashtra – 400
3. Bihar – 200
14.Madhya Pradesh – 300
4. Chhattisgarh – 100
15. North East = 50
5. Delhi – 300
16. Odisha – 200
6. Gujarat – 200
17. Punjab – 200
7. Haryana – 200
18. Rajasthan – 200
8. Himachal Pradesh – 150
19. Tamilnadu - 300
9. Jammu & Kashmir – 50
20. Uttar Pradesh – 700
10. Jharkhand – 100
21. Uttarakhand – 100
11. Karnataka – 200
22. West Bengal – 300
R. N. PARASHAR
GENERAL SECRETARY
AIPEU GROUP ‘C’
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES (NFPE) DECIDED TO ENSURE PARTICIPATION OF 10000 EMPLOYEES FROM ALL AFFILIATED UNIONS OF NFPE
P-III – 3500,                     P-IV-3500,             R-III-1000,           R-IV – 700,                     Postal Accounts-200,       Admn –200,            SBCO – 100,        GDS – 3000.
R. N. PARASHAR
SECRETARY GENERAL
NFPE
ALL AFFILIATES/C-O-CS
HURRY UP.  FIX QUOTA, ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL UNITS IMMEDIATELY.  SEND COPY OF THE CIRCULAR TO CONFEDERATION CHQ WITHOUT FAMIL.
                                                                                                           
                                                                                              M. KRISHNAN,
                                                                                    SECRETARY GENERAL,
                                                                                          CONFEDERATION.
                                                                                          MOB: 09447068125
                                                                      EMAIL: mkrishnan6854@gmail.com

CHARTER OF DEMANDS
1.      Settle the demands raised by NJCA regarding modifications of 7th CPC recommendations as submitted in the memorandum to Cabinet Secretary on 10th December 2015. (See Annexure-I). Honour the assurance given by the Group of Ministers to NJCA on 30th June 2016 and 6thJuly 2016, especially increase in minimum wage and fitment factor. Grant revised HRA at the existing percentage itself i.e. 30%, 20% and 10%. Accept the proposal of the staff side regarding Transport Allowance. Settle all anomalies arising out of implementation of 7th CPC recommendations, in a time bound manner.
2.      Implement option-I recommended by 7th CPC and accepted by the Government regarding parity in pension of pre-2016 pensioners, without any further delay. Settle the pension related issues raised by NJCA against item 13 of its memorandum submitted to Cabinet Secretary on 10th December 2015. (See Annexure-I).
3.      Scrap PFRDA Act and New Pension System (NPS) and grant pension and Family Pension to all Central Government employees recruited after 01.01.2004, under CCS (Pension) Rules 1972.
4.      Treat Gramin Dak Sewaks of Postal department as Civil Servants, and extend all benefits like pay, pension, allowances etc. of departmental employees to GDS. Enhance bonus calculation ceiling of GDS also to 7000 from 01.04.2014.
5.      Regularise all casual, contract, part-time, contingent and Daily rated mazdoors and grant equal pay and other benefits. Revise the wages as per 7th CPC minimum pay.
6.      No Downsizing, Privatisation, outsourcing and contractorisation of Government functions.
7.      Withdraw the arbitrary decision of the Government to enhance the bench mark for performance appraisal for promotion and financial upgradations under MACP from “GOOD” to VERY GOOD” and also decision to withhold annual increments in the case of those employees who are not able to meet the bench march either for MACP or for regular promotion within the first 20 years of service. Grant MACP pay fixation benefits on promotional hierarchy and not on pay-matrix hierarchy. Personnel promoted on the basis of examination should be treated as fresh entrants to the cadre for grant of MACP.
8.      Withdraw the draconian FR 56 (J) and Rule 48 of CCs (Pension) Rules 1972 which is being misused as a short cut as purity measure to punish and victimize the employees.
9.      Fill up all vacant posts including promotional posts in a time bound manner. Lift ban on creation of posts. Undertake cadre Review to access the requirement of employees and their cadre prospects. Modify recruitment rules of Group-‘C’ cadre and make recruitment on Reginal basis.
10.  Remove 5% ceiling on compassionate appointments and grant appointment in all deserving cases.
11.  Grant five promotions in the service carreer to all Central Govt. employees.
12.  Abolish and upgrade all Lower Division Clerks to Upper Division Clerks.
13.  Ensure parity in pay for all stenographers, Assistants, Ministerial Staff in subordinate offices and in all organized Accounts cadres with Central Secretariat staff by upgrading their pay scales. Grant pay scale of Drivers in Loksabha Secretariat to Drivers working in all other Central Government Departments.
14.  Reject the stipulation of 7th CPC to reduce the salary to 80% for the second year of Child Care leave and retain the existing provision.
15.  Introduce Productivity Linked bonus in all department and continue the existing bi-lateral agreement on PLB wherever it exists.
16.  Ensure cashless medical treatment to all Central Government employees & Pensioners in all recognized Government and Private hospitals.
17.  Revision of Overtime Allowance (OTA) and Night Duty Allowance (NDA) w.e.f 01.01.2016 based on 7th CPC pay scale.
18.  Revision of wages of Central Government employees in every five years.
19.  Revive JCM functioning at all levels. Grant recognition to the unions/Associations under CCS (RSA) Rules 1993 within a time frame to facilitate effective JCM functioning.
CHALO DELHI ----------- CHALO DELHI
PARLIAMENT MARCH - 15-12-2016
UNDER BANNER OF CONFEDERATION OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES & WORKERS AND NFPE
          ALL AFFILIATES OF NFPE ARE REQUESTED TO ALLOT QUOTA CIRCLE WISE AND DIRECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN PARLIAMENT MARCH ON 15.12.2016 IN LARGE NUMBER.

          ALL POSTAL, RMS AND GDS EMPLOYEES ARE REQUESTED TO PARTICIPATE IN LARGE NUMBER AND MAKE PARLIAMENT MARCH A GRAND SUCCESS.
     R.N. PARASHAR
SECRETARY GENERAL