No.
08-12/2017-SR
Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Posts
(SR Section)
Dak Bhawan, New Delhi
Dated: 01st August, 2017
To,
The Secretary
General,
Federation
of National Postal Organisations,
T-24,
Atul Grove Road,
New
Delhi- 110001.
Subject:
Trade Union action call given by
Federation of National Postal Organisations (FNPO) in support of their demands.
Sir,
I am directed to refer to your
letter No. Strike/2017 dated 20.06.2017 on the above mentioned subject. The
charter of demands has been examined by the concerned Divisions and replies to
each item of demands showing the present status are enclosed herewith.
2. As
many of your demands have been settled and few are under active consideration
of the Department, it is requested that the proposed agitation may be called
off.
Yours faithfully,
Encl:
As Above
-sd/-
(P. S. Verma)
Director (SR & Legal)
Charter of demands submitted by FNPO vide letter dated
20.06.2017:
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Sl. No.
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Demands
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Reply
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1.
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Filling up of all
vacant posts in all cadres of Department of Posts i.e. PA, SA, Postmen,
Mailguard, Mailmen, Drivers, and
Artisans in MMS, MTS, PACO and GDS.
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GDS: Process of online
engagement of GDS has already been started to fill up vacant post of GDS in
17 Circles. Due to technical snags in the online engagement software, process
in remaining Circles will be started only after process in 17 Circles will
finalize.
PA/SA: Result of PA/SA for
the year 2015 is kept in abeyance as the matter is subjudice. Vacancies of
PA/SA for the year 2016 have already been intimated to SSC.
LGO exam for promotion to the cadre
of PA/SA for deputation to APS has been conducted on 04.06.2017.
LGOs exam for promotion to
Assistants in MMS, Foreign Post, RLO, Stores Depot and CO/RO has been held on
16.07.2017.
In r/o other exams, viz. IP Exam
2016-17, PM Grade I and PS Group B 2017-18, LGOs to PAs/SAs 2016-17 and
2017-18, engagement of new approved Agency is in the pipeline. MoU between
Department and Agency is to be signed.
For the Postman/Mail Guard and MTS
cadre exams, instructions have been issued to all the Circles to fill up the
vacancies by giving top priority.
Calendar of departmental
Examinations scheduled to be held in the year 2017-18 has already been issued
to all the Circles by giving tentative schedule for filling up the vacancies
of decentralized examination i.e. PO & RMS Accountant Examination, LDCs
to Junior Accountants in PAOs (Exam has been conducted by respective
Circles), LGOs examination for promotion to Assistants of other wings i.e.
MMS, Foreign Post, RLO, Stores Depot and CO/RO and other exams.
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2.
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Implementation of
positive recommendations of GDS Committee Report. Grant of civil servant
status to GDS. Request to ‘Removal of 3-A (I) of GDS Conduct & Engagement
Rules, 2011, Grant pension to all GDS without absorption as regular Group D –
As per Principle CAT, New Delhi Judgement, Request to count service to all
erstwhile GDS service to who have been absorbed as Group D/Postman – As per
Principle CAT, New Delhi Judgement.
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The recommendations
of the Kamlesh Chandra Committee have been considered by the Department of
Posts and mandatory approval is being obtained in this regard.
As far as grant of civil servant
status to GDS is concerned, it is stated that according to Rule 3-A (v) of
GDS Conduct Rules 2011, a Sevak shall be outside the Civil Service of the
Union. Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of Superintendent of Post
Offices Vs PK Rajamma (1977) (3) SCC held that the Extra Departmental Agents
{now called Gramin Dak Sevaks} are holders of the civil post outside the
regular civil services. Moreover, they are part time employees being engaged
for maximum of 5 hrs a day. In the light of above legal position demand of
the union cannot be acceded to.
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3.
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Request to grant of a
new scale to the temporary status MTS on par with 7th CPC.
Conversion of temporary status casual labourers into permanent as per the
Directorate letter No. 25-07/2017-PE-I dated 16.05.2017.
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In pursuance of the
instructions issued by the Department of Expenditure, vide its O.M. No.
A-11012/11-EG dated 19.12.2016, all the HoCs have been instructed, vide this
office letter dated 16.05.2017, to convert the temporary posts into permanent
ones up to the level of Dy. Secretary (i.e. having Grade Pay of Rs. 7600/- or
less in the pre-revised scale excluding GDS posts), subject to the condition
that these posts have functional justification and are in existence for more
than three years. Thus, Casual labourers don’t come under the purview of this
order.
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4.
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Stop all types of
harassment and victimization in the name of new schemes and technology
induction and under contributory negligence factor and Trade Union
victimization.
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FS Division has
informed that no new schemes are launched by that Division on behalf of DoP.
The DoP is operating Small Savings Schemes on behalf of MoF.
PLI Directorate has
informed that they have completed roll out of Core Insurance Solution (CIS)
as on 25.01.2016 to 808 HOs and 24598 Sub Post Offices as per the information
provided by Circles. Roll out of RICT has not been initiated so far. They
have also informed that at no point of time any case of harassment &
victimization of staff has come to their notice.
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5.
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Payment of revised
wages and arrears to the casual, part-time, contingent employees and daily
rated mazdoors as per 6th & 7th CPC and settle the
other issues of casual labourers.
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The orders in respect
of minimum pay for calculation of pay of casual labourers (without temporary
status) has already been issued vide this office letter no. 7-10/2016-PCC
dated 31.03.2017.
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6.
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Implement cadre
restructuring for left out categories i.e. RMS, MMS, PACO, Postmaster Cadre
Postal Civil wing etc. and accept the modifications suggested by NAPE-C
before implementation of cadre restructuring in Postal Group ‘C’ &
demands of National Union of Postal Civil Wing Employees.
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The cadre
restructuring of left out cadres, i.e. RMS, PACO and PASBCO is currently
under examination in consultation with the Department of Expenditure. The
matter of cadre restructuring of Postmaster Cadre will be examined
thereafter.
A Committee has been constituted,
vide this office letter no. 25-04/2012-PE-I dated 09.06.2017, under the
chairmanship of Shri Charles Lobo, CPMG Karnataka Circle, to examine the
issues arising out of implementation of Cadre Restructuring of Group C
employees.
Cadre review of MMS is under active consultation with Ministry of
Finance, DoE.
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7.
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Provision of CGHS
facilities to Postal Pensioners also as recommended by 7th CPC.
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The CGHS facilities
have been extended to the pensioners of Post and Telegraph Department by the
M/o Health & Family Welfare vide O.M. No. S-11016/2/2015-CGHS(P)/EHS
dated 19.07.2017 and the same has been circulated by the Dte. To all the
Circles vide letter no. 2-3/2009-Medical dated 25.07.2017.
The issue of merger
of 33 Postal Dispensaries is under consideration with the Ministry of Health
& Family Welfare.
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8.
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Withdraw NPS
(Contributory Pension Scheme). Guarantee 50% of last pay drawn as minimum
pension.
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The demand for
withdrawal of NPS (Contributory Pension Scheme) is outside the purview of
this Department. As regards guarantee of 50% last pay drawn as minimum
pension, it is mentioned that govt. has already enhanced minimum pension to
Rs. 9000/- w.e.f. 01.01.2016. The pension of retiring employees is fixed at
50% of emoluments or average emoluments, whichever is more beneficial under
Rule 49(2) of CCS (Pension) Rules.
Government has also decided to
revise pension of pre-2016 pensioners to 50% of notional pay in pay matrix of
7th CPC by fixing pay on notional basis during each intervening
Pay Commission.
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9.
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Implement five days
week working for operative staff in the Postal Department.
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Since the Department
of Posts is a service oriented Department, decision of 5 days week lead to
public inconvenience and further, to public complaints.
This decision will also results in
revenue loss to the Department as customer will go for other alternatives
when Post Offices are closed on Saturday.
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10.
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Stop Privatization,
Contractorization and outsourcing.
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There is no proposal of
corporatization/privatization at this juncture. The Department is making efforts to give
better and competitive services to the customers specifically in the areas of
insurance, banking and parcels.
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