" IRS OFFICERS PROMOTED FROM THE GRADE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF CENTRAL EXCISE ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF AIACEGEO. THIS IS THE ONLY ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERINTENDENTS OF CENTRAL EXCISE AND IRS OFFICERS PROMOTED FROM THE GRADE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF CENTRAL EXCISE THROUGH OUT THE COUNTRY . President Mr.T.Dass and SG Mr. Harpal Singh.

Friday 1 February 2013

points which were discussed in board meeting on 31.01.2013


ALL INDIA ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL EXCISE
GAZETTED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
President:                                  Address for communication:                                   Secretary General:
Lokanath Mishra                 240, Razapur, Ghaziabad-201001 (U.P.)                                         Ravi Malik
Mob. 09437314941             mail Id: ravimalik_sweet@yahoo.com                             Mob. 09868816290
Vice Presidents: Sampat Rai & Vatan Kamble (Central); Anurag Chaudhary & Ravi Joshi (North); A. Ravinder Singh & Rajan G. George (South); A. S. Roy & Shubhrangshu Deb (East); P. D. Nimhan & S. K. Jha (West)
Joint Secretaries: Anand Kishore & Laxmi Lal Singhvi (Central); N. N. Lal & R. K. Solanki (North); G. Srinath & S. Chandrasekar (South); Ashwini Majhi & V. N. Jha (East); G. K. Jhala & M. K. Misra (West)
Office Secretary: C.S.Sharma (Mob. 09313885411)         Treasurer: N.R.Manda (Mob. 09871483585)
(Recognised by G.O.I., Min. of Fin. vide letter F.No. B. 12017/10/2006-Ad.IV A Dt.21.01.08)
         Ref. No. 11/M/12                                                                                                      Dt. 24.01.13
To,
The Member (P&V),
CBEC, North Block,
New Delhi.
Sub: Points for the meeting of 31.01.13.
Madam,
Kindly refer to-
i) the message of your goodself received through your OSD calling the representatives of the Association for a meeting to be held on 31.01.13 and
ii) also the meeting held on 02.11.12 under the Chairpersonship of yours.
2. It is submitted with due regards that the various grievances of the staff-side were discussed in the meeting of 02.11.12 but, very unfortunately, none of the grievances has been redressed till date. All of the grievances are un-redressed despite of the positive assurance given to the Association by the authorities during each meeting. Even the grievances, which are purely in the hands of Board, are not being redressed. Therefore, the following points are hereby submitted for the kind consideration of the administration under the hope of the staff grievances to be taken seriously this time. It is also worth to mention that the Association has already submitted the various representations on every issue but the same were never taken seriously by the administration giving the only impression that our Board is meant only for looking the interests of the IRS. It is expected that the staff-side would be given the opportunity to erase the anti-staff image of our Board from their minds resolving the following issues this time-    
1. Immediate approval & implementation of cadre restructuring without any cut: The necessary steps may kindly be taken for immediate approval of the ongoing cadre restructuring without any cut as already approved by Expenditure. All the posts may kindly be approved on permanent basis and be filled in un-staggered manner only by promotions with no direct recruitment at group ‘A’ entry level at least for 5 years particularly keeping in view the extraordinarily acute stagnation of the Superintendents/Inspectors of Central Excise. The stoppage of direct recruitment at group ‘A’ entry level will also protect the IRS (DR) stature. It was also agreed by the Board during the presentation made on cadre restructuring on 18.01.11 that no direct group ‘A’ entry would be made for more than 1 years. The Association was assured about doing the needful in respect of cadre restructuring during the meeting of 02.11.12 but nothing happened till date. The ongoing cadre restructuring was started in 2006 and its pendency has reached in its 7th year while the next cadre restructuring has already become due. Two more cadre restructuring should have happened after 2002 and the work for IIIrd one should have been started.
2. Immediate re-framing of RR’s and regularization of all ad-hoc promotions: The new RR’s of IRS formulated as per the Apex Court verdict dt. 03.08.11 & 30.03.12 will never be able to grant “just & fair representation” to Central Excise stream officers and are not acceptable to the Association. All the ad-hoc promotions may also kindly be regularised based on “just & fair” RR’s following the precedent of the regularisation of promotions since 1980 as per the Apex Court verdict. It may also kindly be ascertained whether the promotions were regularised since 1980 on the previous occasion or since 1979 giving excess vacancies to the Appraiser stream. The regularisation since 1980/1979 is still incomplete because the provisions of extended panel were not applied to it. So, all the promotions since 1980/1979 to till date may kindly be regularised by immediate implementation of the Supreme Court verdict dt. 03.08.11/30.03.12 by framing “just, fair & equitable” recruitment rules and abiding all the ad hoc promotions with the same duly using the extended panel to grant parity in promotions to all the common entry counterparts maintaining their relative seniority. No heed has been paid to the issue till date. Even the so called revised RR’s are not being abode to all of the ad hoc promotions as directed by the Apex Court. The representations submitted by the Association on the issue have also been paid no heed. “Just & fair representation” will never be possible by the revised rules till senior officers of Central Excise continue to work under the junior officers of Customs recruited in the same cadre of Inspector.
3. Notional promotions: As far as the Supreme Court verdict is concerned, the Central Excise officers may kindly be granted notional promotions by creating supernumerary posts for the sake of “just & fair representation” considering that they are two decades behind their counterparts of Customs entered into the same cadre at one & the same time in same organisation through same recruitment process. Central Excise officers are forced to work under even 20 years junior of Customs Examiner due to the discrimination meted to them as also admitted by the CBEC in the Board meetings of 12.01.11 & 18.02.11. Around one & half thousand of Appraisers, who were junior to the Central Excise Superintendents, have already become the bosses of their senior counterparts of Central Excise. No action has been taken on the issue till date.
4. Parity with common entry counterparts of CSS, CBDT etc. either in the cadre restructuring or independent of it to retire our officers in PB-4: The ADG, HRD was directed to work out the formula to undo the discrimination during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been initiated till date. The immediate steps may kindly be taken in the matter keeping in view that our common entry counterparts are easily reaching the PB4. They are retiring at the level of Commissioner/Joint Secretary while we are retiring at the level of Superintendent. Even their pension is more than our salary. 1992 Examiners & 1992 Inspectors of Income Tax and 1997 Assistants have long back entered group ‘A’. 1997 Assistants have long back entered to senior group ‘A’ while our Inspector of 1975 is still waiting even to enter the junior group ‘A’. 1987 Assistant of CSS has been promoted to the post of Deputy Secretary (our JC) and 1985 Assistant of Rajya Sabha Secretariat to the post of Director (our ADC).
            5. Immediate Fulfilment of the commitments made during the presentation on cadre restructuring on 18.01.11: None of the commitments like (i) All the vacancies of cadre restructuring to be filled up by promotions & extend this benefit for more than 1 year, (ii) Creation of separate service for group ‘B’ executive officers, (iii) Promotion of group ‘B’ gazetted executive officer directly to STS like CSS, (iv) Audit teams to be headed by AC/DC, (v) Work load should be the basis of the re-organisation of Central Excise formations, (vi) Minimum qualifying service for promotion to gazetted post should be uniform for Inspector, PO & Examiner, (vii) All Inspectors, PO’s & Examiners of same year should be brought to same level of promotion etc. etc. made during the presentation on cadre restructuring on 18.01.11 has been fulfilled till date in consonance of the submissions made by the Association vide its Ref. No. 13/11 Dt. 27.01.11 even after expiry of more than 2 years despite of the assurance of doing the needful. The same may kindly be fulfilled immediately.
            6. At least four functional promotions in the service career: Other common entry counterparts of CSS, Income Tax, Customs etc. are already getting 5 to 6 promotions while we are retiring after getting single promotion in the service career of 35-40 years. You were pleased to assure the Association to do the needful in the matter enabling us to get 5 to 6 promotions too in the meeting of 02.11.12 but nothing has been initiated till date. It is requested that the effective measures may kindly be taken up to undo the discrimination granting our officers at least 4 functional promotions.
            7. Initial grade pay of Rs. 5,400/- in PB3 w.e.f. the date of the grant of this grade pay/equivalent pay scale to the other analogous counterparts: It was decided during the meeting of 15.03.12 that the issue would again be taken up with the Department of Expenditure. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been initiated till date. It is requested that the matter may kindly be recommended and taken up with the Expenditure in an effective manner immediately to grant the initial grade pay of Rs. 5,400/- in PB3 to the Central Excise Superintendents w.e.f. the date of the grant of this grade pay/equivalent pay scale to the other analogous counterparts of IB, CBI etc. They were granted the same since 1986 alongwith group ‘A’ status. It is also worth to mention that they are defined as “analogous posts” with us and the high power committee formed for the purpose also admitted our parity with them.
            8. Non-functional time scale in PB3 to the Superintendents after completing 4 years of service: It was decided during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12 that the issue would be taken up with the Expenditure. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful. The time scale has been granted in PB3 to others including CSS while it is merely in PB2 for us. It was granted so to CSS officers since 1996 in PB3/equivalent while since 2006 to us in PB2. Necessary steps may kindly be taken in the matter on immediate basis to grant the same to us also in PB3/equivalent since 01.01.96.
            9. Promotion of Group ‘B’ Gazetted Executive Officers directly to STS like CSS etc.: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. Necessary steps may kindly be taken as per the agreed decision on immediate basis. Such proposal was also mentioned as under formulation during the cadre restructuring presentation on 18.01.11 by CBEC. The gazetted officers of CSS including many others (Centre as well as State) are being promoted to senior group ‘A’ while ours merely to junior group ‘A’.
            10. Parity between the officers of headquarters organisations & field offices: This intention had also been shown by the 6th CPC in the questionnaire issued at the time of asking for the representations from the stake holders and also under the recommendations under chapter 3.1 of its report. You were also pleased during the course of 02.11.12 meeting to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been initiated till date. It is requested that the due steps may kindly be initiated to grant the parity to the field officers with their headquarters offices counterparts including in r/o promotions, time scale, working conditions, direct promotion to STS post, counting of regular service, other career prospects etc. 
11. Counting of regular service in consonance of the letter F. No. A/60/13/RTI/2006-Ad.IIIB Dt. 26.05.11 of CBEC: The regular service of our common entry counterparts of CSS is being counted from the following 1st July of the year of the recruitment examination in the case of DR officers and from 1st July of the year of the preparation of the panel in the case of promotee officers. The orders for the same have not been implemented in our case despite of the decision taken on the issue. The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12 too. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has happened till date. Necessary steps may kindly be taken as per the agreed decision on immediate basis and the instructions dt. 22.07.07 may also kindly be made available to the Association.
            12. Finalisation of in-situ promotions scheme under consultation of the Association: As we know, even the cadre restructuring will not be able to solve the problem of stagnation of ours. So, the proposal for in-situ promotions may kindly be revived immediately under consultation of the Association considering all of the submissions of the Association. The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter during the meeting of 02.11.12 but nothing has been initiated till date. It is worth to mention that the said scheme is not being finalised & implemented despite of the decision taken in the Board meeting of 12.01.11. The scheme may kindly be formulated & implemented under consultation with the Association immediately. As per DOPT OM No. AB-14017/61/2008-Estt.(RR) dt. 24.03.09 (not being followed by CBEC), Inspector should be promoted to the grade of JC, ADC & Commissioner after completing 12, 17 & 20 years of service respectively. During the presentation of cadre restructuring on 18.01.11, CBEC showed its inability to implement the said OM due to the want of required number of vacancies/posts. It is, therefore, requested that our officers may kindly be granted in-situ promotions on the basis of above guidelines as the in-situ promotions require no creation of posts.
13. Holding of regular minuted meetings under the employee grievances redressal mechanism: The staff grievances are not being redressed due to the non-observance of such meetings. The meetings are not being held despite of the circular issued by the CBEC vide No. B. 12017/05/2008-Ad.IV.A Dt. 18.01.10 and reiterated vide even number Dt. 02.03.12. The last meetings even at Board level were held after expiry of due intervals and the minutes of the said meetings were also not recorded correctly and also the decisions are unimplemented till date. It is also very unfortunate & disappointing that we are invited for the meetings only after the service of the notice for Satyagraha/agitation by the Association giving the mere impression that our own authorities don’t have time for us and also don’t want to redress our grievances. The Chairperson of the CBEC has no time to see the staff-side despite of the repeated requests. All the field formations as well as Board may kindly conduct the said meetings at regular intervals with the staff Associations to revive the grievance redressal mechanism. No grievance of the staff-side has been redressed even after the meetings of 15.03.12 & 02.11.12. Even in the present time of transparency, the staff-side is unable to approach any of their own authorities, higher or lower. The Association was assured about holding of the due meetings in the future after bimonthly intervals extendable by one month during the meeting of 02.11.12 but no process has been started anywhere in the field formations. The said meeting has also been scheduled on account of the notice for agitation. It is very unfortunate that the last two meetings were also held only for the sake of formality due to the only reason of deferring the agitational programme called by the staff-side. It is again reiterated that none grievance of the staffside has been redressed as a result of any of the meetings.
            14. DPC for financial year 2012-13: Immediate steps may kindly be taken to conduct the DPC for promotion to Group ‘A’ from Group ‘B’ executive for the year 2012-13 particularly keeping in view the large scale monthly retirements of the Central Excise Superintendents without promotion.  The DPC should have been conducted very well in advance preparing an advance panel as per DOPT guidelines but, very disappointingly, no steps have been taken despite of the financial year being near to its end. The Association was assured about the necessary action in this regard during the meeting of 02.11.12 but the same is still awaited while the DPC for ADC to Commissioner has already been conducted perhaps due to the fact that the same was related to the interest of IRS officers.
            15. Non Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) to the Central Excise executive officers at par with the counterparts of CSS: The officers of group ‘A’ Services have been granted NFFU at par with the IAS officers vide DOPT OM No. AB.14017/64/2008-Estt.(RR) dt. 24.04.09. The officers recruited as the Inspector of Central Excise may also kindly be granted NFFU at par with their counterparts of CSS on batch to batch basis enabling them to retire in PB4 too. The officers recruited as Assistant Grade get the benefit of promotions/NFFU in the grade of- i) SO with GP of Rs. 4800/- & Rs. 5400/- in PB3 after 4 years of service, ii) US with GP of Rs. 6600/-, iii) DS with GP of Rs. 7600/-, iv) Director with GP of Rs. 8700/- (PB4) and v) JS with GP of Rs. 10000/- while our officers are retiring in PB2 after get only one promotion in the career of 35-40 years of service despite of being recruited through common All India competitive examination. Central Excise Superintendents has been granted the time scale in PB2 instead of PB3 without further promotion as compared to their counterparts of CSS. The SO’s of CSS are being promoted to a senior group ‘A’ post (grade pay of Rs. 6600/-) while we are eligible to be promoted (if any) merely to a junior group ‘A’ post (grade pay of Rs. 5400/-).  The Association was assured of taking of the necessary action during the meeting of 02.11.12 but the same is still awaited.
              16. Implementation of para 7.15.24 of 6th CPC report: It was decided during the meeting of 15.03.12 that the issue would be taken up with the Department of Expenditure. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been initiated till date. It is requested that the matter may kindly be recommended and taken up with the Expenditure immediately.
               17. At least a grade pay of Rs. 6,600-/ & 7,600/- on IInd & IIIrd MACP upgradation without offsetting with time scale after joining as Inspector: It was decided during the meeting of 15.03.12 that the issue would be taken up with DOPT. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been initiated till date. The matter may kindly be recommended & taken up with DOPT immediately. It is worth to submit that the State Governments like Uttar Pradesh etc. have granted the grade pays of Rs. 6,600-/ & 7,600/- after 14 & 26 years (or even less by many other State Governments) of service on IInd & IIIrd MACP upgradation to their employees without offsetting with time scale on account of the originating source (i.e., 6th CPC) being the same. It is also worth to mention in this regard that our officers are getting a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- after 30 years or more (?) service under MACPS which they were able to get after 24 years under ACPS and State governments are granting a grade pay of Rs. 7600/- to their officers after 26 years or less of service without offsetting any MACP upgradation with time scale. The IIIrd MACP benefit is not being granted to our officers after 30 years of service, if they have become AC. The pay of seniors is not being stepped up despite of the judgement of Supreme Court, if they are forced to get less salary than juniors under ACPS/MACPS. Even the ACP upgradation has been offset with time scale at the places like Shillong in addition to offsetting of MACP upgradation despite of the contrary clarification by Board.
18. Harassment to the staff: It was decided during the meeting of 15.03.12 that the Association would bring the specific instances to the notice of the Board. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been done despite of such cases being brought to the notice of the Board, particularly the case of the Association functionaries as well as other officers of Chandigarh Zone. It is requested that any type of harassment to staffside may kindly be stopped immediately.
19. Independent HRD: It was decided during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12 that the necessary action to make independent HRD like CBDT may be taken up stepwise. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful but nothing has been resulted till date. Necessary steps may, therefore, kindly be taken up accordingly as immediate measure.
20. Grant of reward on the lines of ant-evasion to the officers working in audit branches: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been done till date. It is, therefore, requested that the necessary steps may kindly be taken immediately. 
21. Role of Inspectors in ACES: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been initiated till date. It is, therefore, requested that the necessary steps to define the role of Inspector in ACES and upgrade the software accordingly in this regard may kindly be taken on immediate basis.
22. Disparities in the pay structures of Superintendents and Inspectors in the Customs & Central Excise Settlement Commission on deputation basis: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has been happened till date. It is, therefore, requested that the necessary steps may kindly be taken in this regard on immediate basis to undo the said disparities.
23. Posting of Association functionaries: The main office bearers of the zonal units of the Association are being transferred to outstations at some places instead of placing them at administrative/Association headquarters. By it, the staff welfare activities of the Association as well as the employee grievances redressal mechanism are affected adversely due to the delinking of Association functionaries with the administration & staff-side both. It is, therefore, requested that at least 3 office bearers (including Unit President and General Secretary) as per the request of the Association may kindly be retained at the headquarters office of the Association or administration in consonance of the letters No. 2/7/88-CS(IV) dt. 19.08.08 and No. 9/34/87-JCA dt. 08.03.88 both of DOPT. The Association was assured about the due action on the issue during the meeting of 02.11.12 but nothing has been done till date. Rather the Association functionaries as well as the officers associated with them are being harassed at the places like Chandigarh Zone.
24. Stepping up of pay of seniors, if junior is drawing more pay on account of ACP/MACP upgradation/s: It was decided during the meeting of 15.03.12 that the issue would again be taken up with the DOPT. However, the issue is noway required to be referred to the DOPT because of being settled by the Apex Court. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has happened till date. The necessary steps may kindly be taken accordingly on immediate basis.
25. UDC/DOS MACP treatment: The promotion from the post of UDC to DOS is not considered actual promotion for the purpose of ACP/MACP upgradation. But the promotion from the post of UDC to Inspector is being considered actual promotion for this purpose. The promotion of UDC to Inspector may also kindly not be considered as actual promotion for the purpose of ACP/MACP upgradation. The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has happened till date. Necessary steps may kindly be taken in the matter on immediate basis.
26. Wearing of uniform: The staff is forced to wear the uniform without any purpose only for the pleasure of the authorities. It serves the only purpose to please such authorities in some official or the most of the time unofficial protocols. The due statutory provisions may kindly be formulated to wear the uniform from bottom to top level for the sake of its grace and respect. No officer may kindly be harassed in the name of wearing of the uniform. The wearing of the uniform may be undone at the seats where it is not required et al. The point regarding formulation of the norms for wearing or non-wearing of uniform was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has happened till date. Necessary steps may kindly be taken in the matter on immediate basis.
27. Option for purchase of weapon: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but nothing has happened till date. Necessary steps may kindly be taken in the matter on immediate basis. 
28. Use of extended panel to grant promotions: No extended panel was utilised at the time of the regularisation of the promotions vide Notification No. 30/2000 of CBEC issued vide F. No. A. 32012/8/2000-Ad.II(Pt.) Dt. 21.11.2000 of CBEC. The clarificatory DOPT OM No. 22011/4/98-Estt.(D) dt. 12.10.98 to DOPT OM No.22011/5/86-Estt. (D) dt. 10.4.89 says about the procedure to be used for preparation of extended panel to benefit the in-service officers in lieu of the retired officers. The CBEC should have prepared the extended panel to give the benefit of the promotions to our in-service officers at the time of the regularisation of the post-1979 promotions to implement the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its true spirit. Thus, the implementation of the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court is incomplete for the want of the use of the extended panel. The earlier DPC’s, therefore, may kindly be reviewed since 1980/1979 to give the maximum benefit to our extraordinarily stagnated officers. The same provisions may also kindly be applied in r/o of the DPC conducted in the month of June, 12 and also future DPC’s for promotion to the post of Asstt. Commissioner. The Association was assured about conducting of the supplementary DPC in this regard during the meeting of 02.11.12 which is still awaited.
29. Renewal of the recognition: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but the renewal is still awaited despite of the submission of all of the required documents well in advance. The due renewal letter may kindly be issued on immediate basis.
30. Promotion of all Inspectors CE, PO’s & Examiners of one particular year to the same level: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. The necessary steps may kindly be taken as per the agreed decision on immediate basis. Such proposal was also mentioned as under examination during the cadre restructuring presentation on 18.01.11 by CBEC.  
31. Promoting all the Superintendents who have completed 1.5 times of qualifying service on the lines of CSS: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. The necessary steps may kindly be taken as per the agreed decision on immediate basis. If they can’t be promoted functionally, they may kindly be promoted in-situ requiring no expenditure or creation of posts.
32. Upgradation: As also agreed during the meeting of 02.11.12, the upgradation of the Superintendents already drawing the grade pay of Rs. 5400/- to the post of Asstt. Commissioner would be expenditure neutral. All of such Superintendents may kindly be upgraded as Asstt. Commissioner independent of cadre restructuring. Further keeping in view that the promotion from Asstt. Commissioner to Deputy Commissioner is a time scale, it is also requested that all the Superintendents drawing a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- for more than 4 years may kindly be upgraded as Deputy Commissioner. It will also have a negligible expenditure as many of such officers are already drawing a grade pay of Rs. 6600/- on account of IIIrd MACP upgradation vs. their Inter-Commissionerate service. 
33. Creation of separate service on the lines of CSS: The point was agreed during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. Necessary steps may kindly be taken accordingly on immediate basis. Such proposal was also mentioned as under consideration during the cadre restructuring presentation on 18.01.11. The creation of the separate service on the lines of CSS etc. was also recommended by DOPM in its file F. No. 8/B/4/O&PM/2008 submitted to the Member (P&A) on 17.01.08 (vide letter F. No. 8/B/33/O&PM/2008 Dt. 06.05.08 of the Commissioner of DOPM). Further, the creation of the separate service on the lines of CSS etc. was also recommended by the Member (P&A) in F. No. 11013/67/2007-Ad IV of CBEC on 24.01.08. The direct IRS officers Association also recommended for the same.
34. Transfer & posting: The point was agreed during course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. Necessary instructions may kindly be issued to the zonal authorities accordingly on immediate basis. There should be a transparent transfer/posting policy for the transfer & postings of the staff. This policy may kindly be framed under consultation with the staff Associations in the field formations keeping in view the geographical, climatic and other relevant factors as per the circumstances and requirement based on the principle of minimum inconvenience to the staff. The transfer & posting orders may kindly be issued without the use of any influence or high-handedness and no officer should be harassed in this matter.
35. Powers of adjudication, refund etc. to Superintendents. The point was agreed during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. Immediate steps may kindly be taken in the matter.
36. Free annual medical health check-ups: The point was agreed during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but there seems no progress in the matter. The immediate steps may kindly be taken accordingly.
37. Authorisation of premier private hospitals for medical care and treatment: The point was agreed during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful in the matter but the orders in the matter are still awaited. The due orders may kindly be issued on immediate basis.
38. Centralised GPF account: The point was agreed during the course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful. The matter may kindly be expedited.
39. Arrears of pay since 1986: It was decided during course of discussions of the meeting of 15.03.12 that the issue would again be taken up with the Expenditure. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful. The necessary steps may kindly be taken on immediate basis in an effective manner. The Board also issued the orders for the same under the signature of then DS, Sh. Dharmveer Gupta, but the implementation of the same is still awaited. It is also worth to mention that the most of the then Inspectors have become Superintendents today.
40. Seniority benefit on promotion to group ‘A’ in lieu of service rendered in group ‘B’: The point was agreed during the meeting of 15.03.12. You were also pleased to assure the Association of doing the needful. Necessary steps may kindly be taken on immediate basis. It is worth to mention that group ‘B’ gazetted officers belonging to the Provincial Civil Services enter into IAS within 8 years with the 4 years seniority benefit in group ‘A’ in many of the Southern States. This benefit of seniority is also being given to the officers in many of the Central Govt. departments.
41. Minimisation of litigations with staff: There is no change in the scenario and the staff-side is forced to avail legal remedy on each and every issue due to the apathetic & non-serious attitude of the concerned authorities. You were also pleased to appeal the Association not to go for litigations with the promise to redress the grievances by taking administrative measures but, unfortunately, none of the grievances has been redresses even after the directions of the legal courts on many of the issues. Counters are being filed by the administration instead of redressing the issues administratively. It is requested to redress such issues administratively to minimise/end the litigations.
42. Delay in vigilance/disciplinary cases: The prescribed time-frame in vigilance/disciplinary matters is not actually being followed in the Board and its offices. The delay in such matters is posing great hardships before the concerned officers whether relating to conducting of inquiry or taking decision on inquiry report or disposal of appeal or any other vigilance/disciplinary matter. It is requested that all of such cases may kindly be disposed of within the prescribed time-limit. The Association was assured about the necessary action during the meeting of 02.11.12 but there is no change in the scenario till date.
43. Delegation of powers to SSB officials: W.r.t. letter F.No. 394/52/2009-Cus(AS) Dt. 11.09.12 the Board is willing to  impart training to the SSB officials under Customs Act, 1962 specially under Sec-100 to Sec-110. On one hand, our Board is not enhancing staff strength as per need while on the other hand, Ministry of Home Affairs is very much keen to enhance their workforce on the border. They are only interfering & harming the Customs work. This has become the practice by the security agencies at every Customs area to interfere with the Customs work & Customs personnel. The scuffle at the C. S. I. Airport, Sahar, Mumbai (published in BITS column of the E.L.T Vol. 284:Part 3 dt. 15.10.12) is the glaring example of unwarranted interference by the security agency in the statutory duties of the Customs officers. It is, therefore, requested to intact the statutory objective of the Customs Act and to withdraw any move to dilute the powers of Customs officers in Customs bonded area by imparting the training to other agency without any statutory provision. The statutory provisions of Customs Act can never be over ruled by any agency. The necessary steps may kindly be taken in the matter to intact the prestige & pride of the organisation in general and Superintendent cadre in particular by stopping the unwarranted interference of the foreign agencies in Customs work. The work of the other agencies (including security agencies) should be limited to their function only without trespassing the powers of Customs officers. Otherwise, our Customs officials should also be granted the powers of the other agencies.
44. Special pay of Audi: The special pay of audit was being given to the officers posted in audit branches which was stopped all of a sudden at many places without any reason. The special pay of audit may, therefore, kindly be paid to all the officers being posted in audit braches (whether Central Excise or Service Tax or Customs) since the date of its discontinuance.
45. Reports by Range offices: Now-a-days, almost 84 types of reports are being processed & complied at the Range level requiring verifications, investigations, compilation of information etc. including various types of miscellaneous works/reports sought by the higher formations over-burdening the Range office. The Range Officers are not having time to discharging statutory duties like scrutiny of returns, drafting of SCN/adjudication orders etc. on account of such reports/works. Earlier to 2008, many such works/investigations were being carried out by the Preventive wing of the Division offices. Due to the removal of Preventive units from the Division offices, un-bearable loads have been given to the Range Officers causing enormous problems as well as mental agony vis-a-vis also harming the official work. It is, therefore, requested that the Preventive wings may kindly be re-instated at all the Division offices throughout the country to streamline the official work or some alternative measures may kindly be taken accordingly not to make the Range offices overburdened.
            In view of the above, it is requested that a full fledged meeting may kindly be held under employee grievance redressal mechanism to redress the above issues and the purposeful & correct minutes may also kindly be issued for the meeting.
Thanking you,        
Yours faithfully,


 (RAVI MALIK),
Secretary General.