Monday, March 29, 2010

National Anomaly Meeting and decisions

Conf No.9/2010 Dated: 27th March, 2010.

Dear Comrade,

Sub:- National Anomaly Committee meeting
And decisions.

The 2nd meeting of the National Anomaly Committee was held today under the Chairmanship of the Secretary Personnel. The Confederation was represented by Com.Vyas, President and Com. K.K.N. Kutty, Secretary General.

The Chairman in his initial opening remarks said that it would be the endeavour of the Government to finalise the issues of anomaly as fast as possible. Since there had been difference in perception on certain issues, they had to be gone into in detail and would take time more than expected. He said that the National Council meeting which was scheduled to take place last month had to be postponed for reasons beyond. He added that the same has now been scheduled to take place in May,15, 2010 and the notices have been issued. He expressed his happiness that the last meeting had been held in a very conducive atmosphere and hoped that all problems would be able to be settled through dialogue. Since the Official side representing the Pension department had to attend another meeting, he suggested to discuss the issues pertaining to Pensioners first before the other issues are taken up. The Staff Side agreed to this suggestion.

Com. Raghavaiah, Leader Staff Side while thanking the official side for convening the second meeting thanked the Chairman for the assurance of a speedy settlement of the issues. He hoped that the official side, having not circulated the Action Taken Statement on the issues discussed at the last meeting, would indicate of the progress registered on those issues. He then dealt with various problems emanating from the implementation of the MACP. While the MACP assures three financial up gradation for every employees, it has resulted in certain difficulties for the existing employees. The liberalization that is stated to have been done to the Assured progression scheme, he said, has resulted in the de-liberalization in the case of certainemployees. H expressed the hope that the official side would be ale to appreciate these problems and resolve them.

Com. Purohit thanked the Chairman for his statement of finding settlement to all problems through discussions. He added that the JCM was in fact formulated for that purpose and it has worked very well, through there had been aberration in the past in the periodicity of meeting etc. He said that the 6th CPC has treaded a path different than those of all other earlier Pay Commission, as they have introduced a new concept in the Pay structure of Central Government employees. Initially the employees have only looked at the financial benefit but later they have realized that there had been certain basic changes effected. He then reiterated his statement made at the last meeting over the definition of the term anomaly. The understanding reached was to have the same definition for the term anomaly as was given at the time of setting up of the anomaly committee after the 5th CPC recommendation. That was on the basis of an agreement reached between the Staff Side and the Group of Ministers. Since the Government functions are mostly on the precedence, he was afraid that the present definition would be quoted in future too. He,therefore wanted this fact to be properly recorded so that the present definition afforded to the term anomaly would not be a dilution of what it was earlier. He then pointed out that while all allowance in general had been doubled by the 6th CPC for which there had been a specific recommendation, in some cases, the Commission had recommended for replacement of such allowances by another scheme viz.insurance etc. The Insurance scheme has still not been introduced whereas the allowances were withdrawn. He was of the opinion that these allowances must be continued till such time the alternative scheme is ushered after consultation with the Staff side and the same should be appropriately doubled. He cited the issue pertaining to Patient care allowance and the risk allowance. He said that the insurance scheme envisaged would not be easy for being settled as many issues emanating there from will have to be discussed threadbare.

Regarding the issues emanating from the MACP scheme, he requested the Chairman, to set up a separately committee with a few from the official side and staff side where all issues could be discussed and then brought to the Committee for its final approval or rejection as the case may be He also referred to the issue of merger of CCA with transport allowance and the repercussion especially in the matter of overtime emoluments of industrial workers. He expressed the hope that the Committee would be able to address all issues and settle them in an amicable manner.

The Chairman, in reply to the initial remarks made by the Leader and Secretary said that:
(a) Joint Committee may be set up for discussing the MACP related issues;
(b) Reiterated his request that all problems and difficulties faced by the employees in implementation of the 6th CPC may be brought to the notice of the Department of Personnel and these could be addressed and placed on website of the Department, so that it could obviate reference to various nodal departments of the Government. The employees could be given the clarification on these issues.

Com. Vyas said that the proposed insurance scheme would not take care of the risk factor both of industrial workers and health workers, who are covered by the risk allowance and the patient care allowance. These allowances ought to have been doubled, whereas the risk allowance has been totally stopped without introducing the insurance scheme and PCA has been continued but at old rates. No assurance was forthcoming from the official side either on the continuation of the risk allowance or doubling the PCA, as the 6thCPC has suggested for the withdrawal of these allowances.

The following issues were discussed, thereafter.

(I) Pension related issues. Agenda Item No. 8. Item closecd as having been settled in the last meeting.

(II) Item No. 9. Anomaly in pension for Govt. employees retired/died between 1.1.2006 and 1.9.2008. Having been permitted to opt which is beneficial i.e. last pay drawn or 10 months' average and full pension after 20 years, the matter stands settled.

(III) Item No. 10 dropped as per the minutes of the last meeting.

(IV) Item No. 15. The official side stated that this was not acceptable even though they had examined it on the basis of the detailed submission by the Staff Side.

(V) Item No. 16. (*) and 21

The official side stated that it would not be possible for them to concede the demand of the staff side as orders have been issued strictly in accordance with the recommendation of the 6th CPC, which the staff side contested. They also did not agree to extend the benefit of last pay drawn and full pension after 20 years qualifying service in respect of pre 2006 retirees.

(VI) Item No. 17.(*). The official side did not agree for the reasons they had stated against item No. 16

(VII) Item No. 18. (*) This anomaly has been removed by allowing the last pay drawn as the basis of pension computation for those retired on and after 1.1.2006.

(VIII) Item No. 19 (*)The anomaly has been removed in the case of all those retired between 1.1.2006 and 1.9.2008 but did not agree to remove the anomaly in the case of persons retired prior to 1.1.2006

(IX) Item No. 22.(*) The issue stands settled by O.M. NO. 38/37/08-P& P W (A) Pt.I dated 3rd October, 2008. clarification at Para 5.1.

(X) Item No. 23.(*) The matter is under examination. The Staff Side will submit a specific case for illustration of the issue. Relevant orders in similar matter after the 5th CPC recommendations were implemented will also be examined,

(XI) Item No. 24(*) and 25 &26.( same issues) Not agreed. But clarificatory orders issued stating that no retrospective deduction should be made in respect of additional commuted value of pension. The reduction in pension must start from the date of payment of additional commuted value of pension.

(XII) Item No.36. After some detailed discussion, it was decided that the Office side would examine this issue further. However, they have pointed out that the amount of Rs. 3500 fixed by them would automatically undergo change as when Dearness relief is grnted the partents/dependents. The Staff Side pointed out that every dependent or parent need not necessarily be a pensioner or a worker in the Govt. establishment or other institutions which pays periodical DA.

(XIII) Item No. 40(*) not agreed.

(XIV) Item No. 45(*) The issue is under Examination.

(XV) Item No. 48. Restoration of commutation after 15 years. After some discussions, it was agreed that the calculation made by the Staff Side would be examined and decision taken thereafter.

(XVI) Item Nos. 54 to 59 have been transferred to the Committee, which has been set up by the Government of Puducherry and therefore stand deleted from the list of National Anomaly Committee. The committee so set up ( as per the order given to the Staff side at the meeting) has only official side members. The representatives of the Association have only been permitted to present their case before the said committee. We are of the opinion that it should be a joint committee consisting of official side and staff side on the pattern on National Anomaly Committee.

(XVII) Discussion on Action taken on items already subjected to discussion in the last meeting of the National Anomaly Committee.

(i) Item No. 1 to 4 and 5(iii) The Department of Expenditure after having looked into this matter as per the suggestion of the Chairman, in the last meeting, have stated that it was not possible to agree to the staff side demand.

(ii) Item No. 5(i) Option. This is stated to be still under examination for delegation of power to the administering Ministry to allow the second option.

(iii) Item No. 5(iv) The Staff Side pointed out the statement made by the JS(Per) which is incorporated in the minutes (as under)

"in case where a promotee and post 1.1.2006 direct recruits are borne on the same seniority list and the senior is drawing less basic pay,than the junior, the pay of the senior can be stepped up." The Staff Side pointed out that orders have been issued only in respect of Railways in this regard. The Staff Side therefore, requested for issuance of an order by the Department of Expenditure to cover the employees of other Ministries/Department. The Official Side however, insisted that such orders should only be issued by the concerned departments after obtaining necessary consent from the Department of Expenditure. It was pointed out by the Staff Side that the nodal department for issuance of such orders being the Department of Expenditure, the stand taken by the official side in the matter was not in order. After some discussion it was agreed that the Department of Expenditure will examine this issue further and if orders are to be issued by them, they would do so before the next meeting or else would report their stand in the matter to the next meeting.

The issue per se i.e. A person who is promoted cannot be fixed on pay less than the minimum of the pay scale was raised by the Staff Side further. Normally a directly recruited person to a post is given the minimum of the pay scale or pay band to which he is appointed. The 6thCPC has recommended the minimum to which every directly recruited person was to be fixed. That being so, a promotee under the extant fundamental rules cannot be fixed less than such prescribed minimum. The Official side argued that the CCS(RSP) 2008 has modified the above provisions of FR for all time to come. The Staff side stated that no rule can be amended unilaterally which would adversely affect the service conditions. It cannot therefore, be unilaterally implemented. It will be further discussed in the next meeting.

(iv)Item No. 5(v) Rule 9 Date of next increment. The preponement of increment in the case of those employees whose increment dates falls between 1.2.2006 to 1.6.2006 to 1.1.2006 in the pre- revised scale of pay as has been done in the case of persons whose increment date was on 1st January, 2006 would be considered further and decision taken before next meeting as a one time measure.

(v)The Department of personnel has asked all administering Ministries to take up with them the matter of fixation of Grade pay at Rs. 1800 in the case of Temporary Status employees. They have also informed that wherever such reference has been received the same has been disposed of.. The organizations are, therefore, requested to take up the issue with the Heads of departments and ensure that a reference is made to the Department of Personnel so that the temporary status employees are imparted training and granted Rs. 1800 Grade pay with effect from 1.1.2006

(vi)Item No. 47(*) This issue was discussed at length. The problem of postponement of increment by one year in respect of persons availing extra ordinary leave on private affairs even for a day between 1st January and 30th June was highlighted by the Staff Side. The Official side explained that the clarification issued by them to the Ministry of Defence was on the basis of the extant instructions in the matter .After some discussion, the staff side proposed that if an employees has completed six months service during a particular year, he should be entitled to get his increment on Ist July. The Official side has agreed to consider this proposal and after such consideration they will issue appropriate orders before next meeting.

The next meeting of the Anomaly Committee would be in the month of June, 2010.

With greetings,

Yours fraternally,
sd/
K.K.N. Kutty.
Secretary General.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

2nd Meeting of National Anomaly Committee

FLASH NEWS FROM SECRETARY GENERAL Mr.K.K.N.Kutty...

Confederation General Secretary informs that the next Meeting of theNational Anomaly Committee will be likely held on 27.03.2010.

Many issues including Increment to those employees whose date of increment is between february and june and Stepping up of pay of senior officials on par with the pay of higher pay granted to new recruits on or after 1.1.2006 etc will again come up for discussion in the said meeting.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Protest against Power cut & Water Scarcity



NEWS ITEM

The Non-Gazetted Government Officers’ Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has organized a procession at Port Blair today (20.03.2010) to protest against the load-shedding resorted by the Electricity Department and drinking water scarcity. The procession which began from Crusade House premises at Phoenix Bay went round the town and culminated near Tiranga Park, Aberdeen Bazaar. The procession was led by Shri. S C Biswas, President, Shri. D Ayyappan, General Secretary and Shri. BD Das, Vice President of the Association. Smti. Rekha Sharma, Organising Secretary, South Andaman Teachers’ Branch of the Association and D. Ayyappan addressed the gathering on conclusion of the procession. They demanded immediate withdrawal of the power cut which causes hardship to the people particularly the students appearing the Board Examinations. They also expressed concern over the acute scarcity of drinking water at Port Blair and South Andaman areas.


D Ayyappan

General Secretary

Friday, March 19, 2010

8 % hike on DA

Cabinet Approves an 8 % hike in the DA to the Central Govt. Employees. The DA would be revised from 27 per cent to 35 per cent of basic salaries.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Excluding ISDA for Tax calculation

To

The Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

Port Blair.

Sir,

As you may kindly be aware, the Island Special Duty Allowance has been included in the taxable income while calculating income tax for the government employees working in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Some kind of confusion prevails among the DDOs and employees about the nature of this allowance for the purpose of excluding it from the taxable income.

The Island Special Duty Allowance is also being granted to the employees working in the Lakshadweep. Recently, we have received a copy of the Circular/Corrigendum dated 13th November, 2009 issued by the Accounts Officer, Finance & Accounts Department, Secretariat, Administration of the UT of Lakshadweep by which it has been clarified that the ISDA is an exempted allowance under section 10 (14) for the purpose of deduction of income tax from salaries during the year 2009-2010 (a copy enclosed herewith for kind reference).

I would, therefore, request you kindly to examine this matter and issue a clarification, on the lines of clarification issued by the Lakshadweep Administration, so that ISDA can be exempted from the taxable income which will of immense relief to thousands of government employees working in these islands.

Yours faithfully,

Encl: As above.

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Illegal Appointment to the Post of Panchyat Secretary

To

The Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

Port Blair.

Sub: Illegal appointment to the posts of Panchayat

Secretaries on deputation basis - regarding.

---------------

Sir,

It has been reported to this Association that the Director of Panchayats and Rural Development has appointed 15 employees of the Andaman & Nicobar Forest & Plantation Development Corporation Ltd. (a public sector undertaking) as Panahayat Secretaries on deputation basis. This has been done in flagrant violation of the existing recruitment rules, framed and published by the A & N Administration, for recruitment to the posts of Panchayat Secretaries.

As per the Andaman and Nicobar Administration (Panchayat Secretary) (Amendment) Rules, 2000, published in the Andaman & Nicobar Gazette on 18th February, 2000 vide No. 35/2000, (i) 50% of the posts of Panchayat Secretaries are to be filled up by direct recruitment failing which by transfer on deputation and (ii) 50% by transfer on deputation (copy enclosed for kind perusal). It is also provided in the said Rules that only the officials working in the Community Development Block/Block Level Administration, Revenue Cadre, VLWs/Gram Sevikas, Amalgamated Clerical Cadre Staff are eligible for deputation to the post of Panchayat Secretary.

It is, thus, clear that the appointment of the employees of the Forest Corporation on deputation to the posts of Panchayat Secretaries are in gross violation of the above-said Rules. In this way, the chances of the employees who are eligible for deputation to the posts of Panchayat Secretaries have been blocked. Most of the above-categories of employees are stagnating in their respective posts without any promotion for several years and in such a situation, denial of even the available chance for a higher post is an injustice to them.

We are also at a loss to understand as to how the Administration can appoint employees of a public sector undertaking on deputation to a government department. While I am disinclined, at this stage, to deal with the legal flaws involved in this matter, I would definitely say that this has set a bad precedent in the Administration.

I would, therefore, request your goodself kindly to intervene in this matter in the light of the above facts and take appropriate steps in order to render justice to the affected sections of government employees.

Action taken in the matter may please be intimated to this Association.

Yours faithfully,

Encl: As above.

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Mass Demonstration at Secretariat, Port Blair

News Item

At the call of the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers, New Delhi, the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands organized territory-wide mass demonstration in Andaman and Nicobar Islands today (10.03.2010) at 4.45 p.m. to protest against the introduction of the New Pension Bill (PFRDA) and new Direct Taxes Code in the Budget Session of the Parliament and to oppose the increase in the prices of all essential commodities. At Port Blair, the mass demonstration was held in front of the Secretariat in which a large number of employees participated. Shri SC Biswas, President, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary and Shri Sadanand Rai, Organising Secretary addressed the gathering. They criticized the government for introducing the New Pension Scheme for the employees recruited in the central service after 1.1.2004. At Diglipur, the mass demonstration was held in front of the Asst. Commissioner’s office which was addressed by Shri DN Banerjee, Vice President and Shri PJ Eappen, Secretary of the Diglipur Branch of the Association. At Mayabunder, the mass dharna was held in front of the Dy Commissioner’s office which was addressed by Shri PN Shibu Kumar, Secretary, Mayabunder Branch of the Association. At Rangat, the mass dharna was held in front of the office of the Tehsildar, Rangat. A large number of employees participated. Shri Santhosh Kumar Roy, Central Organising Secretary, Shri Raj Kumar Saw, Vice President and Shri Sadan Chdan Das, Secretary of the Rangat Branch addressed the gatherin. At Kadamtala, the mass demonstration was held in front of the Govt. Sr. Secondary School, Kadamtala in which a large number of employees of the area participated. Shri P. Bhattacharjee, Vice President, Shri Tapan Sen, Secretary of the Kadamtala Branch and Shri Ajay Kumar Biswas, Central Ex. Committee Member also addressed the gathering.

--------------

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Cell: 9434260430


Monday, March 8, 2010

Mass Demonstration on 10th March 2010

At the call of the Confederation of Central
Govt. Employees & Workers, New Delhi

Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers' Association
Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Holds

MASS DEMONSTRATION

at 4:45 p.m. on 10.03.2010 (Wednesday)

In front of the Secretariat, Port Blair
  • to protest against the introduction of the New Pension Bill(PFRDA) and new Direct Taxes Code in the Budget Session of the Parliament.
  • to oppose the increase in the prices of all essential comodities.
All are requested to participate in the
Mass Demonstration


(S C Biswas) (D.Ayyappan)
President General Secretary

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Meeting of Craft Instructors on 13th March' 10

SOUTH ANDAMAN TEACHERS' BRANCH
of
NON-GAZETTED GOVT. OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION
ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
Holds
A Meeting of Craft Instructors working
in Education Department, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

at 4 p.m. on 13th March, 2010 (Saturday)
At Crusade House, Phoenix Bay, Port Blair

Agenda of Meeting:
Creating Promotional Channel. Disparity in Pay Scales
Regularization of Part Time CI's , Other issues

All Craft Instructors are requested to attend the meeting


Secretary, SATB
9933276336