CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE IN DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
(Representing Staff/Officer Associations
under CBEC & CBDT)
A-2/95, RAJOURI GARDEN, NEW DELHI – 110027
PHONE/FAX:
011 25105324/25937462
JOINT CONVENORS
RAVI
MALIK
ANUPAM NEERAJ RUPAK SARKAR
9868816290
9163470093 8902198000
ravimalik_ sweet@yahoo.com anupamneeraj@rediffmail.com itefcentral@gmail.com
F.No.CoC/CPC/2016-17 Dated, 2nd May, 2016
To
The Hon’ble
Minister of Finance,
Govt.of India,
North Block,
New Delhi.
Sub: 7th
Central Pay Commission
Respected
Sir,
With
humility and a desire to seek a way out of the bleak circumstances arising out
of the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission, it is
submitted with due regards that the 7th CPC through its
recommendations have disturbed certain existing horizontal relativities in the
case of the following cadres in the Revenue Department even though there had
been no susceptible change in the assigned duties and responsibilities of those
cadres where higher pay levels were assigned.
We, therefore, seek to draw your kind
attention to the grievances of the entire cross-section of Group C, Group B and
promotee Group A officers of the Revenue Department as stated below in brief:
1.
Havildar/Sepoy
of CBEC:
The Havildar & Head Havildar of Customs,
Central Excise & Service Tax being the uniformed officers with proper
training in arms operations and selected on scrutiny of physical standards are
the base level executive force and face of the department. The parity with
counterparts in CBI/IB was regularly demanded and even the Finance Ministry
vide letter no. A-26011/7/94-Ad II (A)(PC) dated 23.08.1995 specifically
detailed the correlation of job profiles of corresponding posts of CBEC and
CBI. Despite all these attempts, the successive Pay Commissions failed to
assess the duties and responsibilities of these Cadres and the justified
demands remained unattended. Now, assigning the pay level corresponding to
Grade Pay of Rs. 2000 after upgrading it from the present level of the Grade
Pay of Rs. 1800 will bring long delayed justice to these Cadres.
2.
Tax Assistants
of CBDT/CBEC :
The
6th CPC had assigned the Tax Assistants in Revenue Department the
Grade Pay of Rs 2400/- in PB-2. The Auditors and Accountants in IA& AD and
other Accounting Organizations, viz Defence Accounts, Civil Accounts, Railway
Accounts, Postal Accounts etc, were assigned the Grade Pay of Rs. 2800/-. The
nomenclature for the present Tax Assistants was earlier UDC and for the same
grade in Indian and Audit Department and other Accounting organizations are
Accountants/Auditors. Both the cadres,
i.e., the UDC/Tax Assistants in Revenue Department and the Accountants/Auditors
in IA & AD and other accounting organisations were in the same pay scale
all along till the Government revised the pay scale of Accountants in 2003,
i.e., during the period under which the 5th CPC pay scales were in
operation. The said order was an
executive fiat of the Government of India.
It could be seen from the enclosed order that the demand of the
Accounting Employees were considered and conceded by the Government to bring
parity of pay scales between the Accounting organizations and the Cadres of the
Central Secretariat. However, when the
orders were issued, the Auditors and Accountants were given a higher pay scale
than even the UDCs in the Central Secretariat, thereby disturbing the
horizontal relativity between the cadres in other Departments of the Government
of India. The Pay Scales assigned by the successive Pay Commissions to the UDCs
of various Government of India offices including the IA &AD were at par. Accordingly
for the upgradation of the pay scale effected in 2003, the pay scales of the
Tax Assistants and the
Accountants/Auditors would have remained identical and the same. Aggrieved by
this unilateral decision of the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance,
the CoC took up the issue with the Government bilaterally and through the forum
of the Departmental Council. However, no
decision was taken on the specious plea that the Government having set up the 6th
CPC would not like to go into the matter but would refer the matter to the 6th
CPC. The 6th CPC did not go
into the merit of the issue at all. They
simply assigned the replacement scales in the form of PB-2 and Grade pay of Rs.
2400 for Tax Assistant and the Grade Pay of Rs. 2800 for Accountant/Auditor. The CoC has taken up the matter with the
Government in the Departmental anomaly Committee where the matter was discussed
twice. However, the Anomaly Committee
did not submit its final recommendation to the Government till the 7th
CPC was set up. As in the case of
National Anomaly Committee, the Departmental Anomaly committee also remained only
a discussion forum where decisions are dragged on. Had the Government recorded disagreement in
the Anomaly Committee meeting, the issue could have been got settled before the
Arbitrator. The doors of negotiation
were shut for ever by not convening the meeting of the Departmental Council or
the Anomaly Committee. The CoC took up
the matter before the 7th CPC but they did not concede the
contention on the erroneous ground that no such parity had existed ever
before. The Tax Assistant in Revenue
Department must, therefore, be assigned
the Level Pay suggested by the 7th CPC for GP of Rs. 2800.
2
(ii). This apart, it must be mentioned that Auditor, Accountant and Tax
Assistants are recruited through SSC on passing the same Graduate Level
Examination. It can be seen that the recruitment qualification stipulated for
all these cadres are one and the same. Having been recruited through the same
agency and the through the same examination, these categories of employees are
to be placed in the same scale of pay or grade pay or pay level. Moreover, the Tax Assistant in Department of
Revenue is required to qualify a stringent Computer Proficiency Test which is a
need of the hour in keeping with the Govt. of India mission for digital
India. The 5th Central Pay
Commission had enunciated this dictum while upgrading certain cadres in certain
department. Ever since, this has been
followed by the Government.
2
(iii). The JCM National Council Staff side while making their submissions
taking this fact into account had suggested as a measure of delivering exercise
to remove the scale of pay or level equivalent to the Grade Pay of Rs. 2400 and
retain only the Level pay suggested in replacement of the Grade pay of Rs.
2800. Had the Pay Commission acceded
this suggestion as a general measure, the parity between the
Auditors/Accountants and the Tax Assistants in Revenue Department and UDCs of
other Central Govt. Departments, which was all along in existence, could have
been maintained.
3.
Inspector/Preventive
Officer/Examiner of CBDT/CBEC:
The
Govt. disturbed the existing horizontal parity in the pay scales of
Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiners of Revenue Deptt. with the Inspectors
of CBI by enhancing the pay scale of Inspectors of CBI without recommendations
of CPC and also without any increase in their responsibilities. Vth CPC brought
above analogous posts at par but the Govt. again enhanced the pay scale of pay
scale of CBI Inspector. On repeated representations, the Government issued
orders bringing back the parity by placing the Inspectors/Preventive
Officers/Examiners at par with Inspector of CBI/IB. A scrutiny of the relevant files of the
Department of Expenditure will reveal the crux of the issue that came up for
the consideration of the Government which resulted in the issuance of the
orders. The 6th CPC in the
process of delayering the pay scales merged the pay scales of 5000-8000,
5500-9000 and 6500-10500 and assigned the Grade pay for all at Rs. 4200. Again the issue was taken up with the
Government and the matter could be later set right whereby the Government
assigned the Grade pay of Rs. 4600 to the Inspectors/Preventive Officers on par
with the Inspectors of CBI and similar cadre in the IB.
3
(ii). We had made submissions before the 7th CPC to assign higher
pay scale for the Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiner at par with the
Assistant Accounts officers of the IA& AD Department. The Assistant Accounts officers were once
having the designation of Section officers and were in a slightly higher pay
scale than that of the Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiners. The assigning of higher pay scale for Section
officers by the 3rd CPC and denying similar upgradation for the
Inspectors was the subject matter of discussions in the Departmental Council of
the Ministry of Finance. However, the
Government did not accede to this demand in the council. Having recorded
disagreement at the Council, the issue went to arbitration. The Board of Arbitration taking into account
all relevant facts came to the conclusion that the Inspectors Pay Scales has to
be revised on the grounds of their duties and responsibilities. It assigned them the pay scale of Rs. 500-900
where as the Section officers were in the pay scale of Rs. 550-900. The fact remained that complete parity was
not immediately given which became a reality only when the 4th CPC
as a process of delayering upgraded the pay scale of 500-900 into 550-900. The IA & AD Department went in for a
complete cadre restructuring later and they changed the nomenclature assigned
to various cadres in that Department and the Section officers became the
Assistant Accounts officers. In 2003,
the Government of India conceding the demand of the IA & AD and the employees
of other Accounting organizations brought parity in the pay scales of the
cadres of the Accounting organizations and the Central Secretariat. The observation of Pay Commission that there
had been no parity between the Asst. Accounts officers and Inspectors/Preventive
Officers at any point of time was therefore not based on fact.
3
(iii). Our demand before the Empowered Committee of Secretaries is to bring the
parity in pay scales of Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiners with the
Inspectors of CBI and similar cadre of IB as that was all along in existence
right from the inception. The
responsibilities and duties of IB or CBI had not undergone any change between
2006 and 2016 which alone would have justified the decision of the 7th
CPC to provide higher pay scales to the Inspectors of CBI and IB. As mentioned earlier, the Government has
assessed the duties and responsibilities assigned to the Inspectors of both
CBI, IB and Revenue Deptt. on the same footing not once but twice. Therefore, the assigning higher pay scale to
Inspectors of CBI but denying the same to the Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiners
of Revenue Deptt. is totally unjustified and must be characterized a subjective
decision without appreciation of all relevant facts. The approach of the 7th
CPC while going through the pay matters in respect of Inspectors of CBEC &
CBDT was such a casual one that they went on record at para 11.18.60 of the report that 6th pay commission
assigned the Grade pay of Rs. 4200 to the CBEC/CBDT Inspectors and that of Rs.
4600 to CBI Inspectors which were respectively upgraded to Rs. 4600 and Rs.
4800 by the executive orders. In the same report at para 11.35.20, they proposed the upgradation of the pay of
Inspectors of CBI & IB from Grade Pay of 4600 to 4800 which makes the
report self contradictory. Even for our sheer dismay, they went on record that
there was no parity in the pay structure of the Inspectors of CBEC & CBDT
with that of CBI by totally ignoring the series of Judicial as well as executive orders which restored
the parity whenever it was disturbed.
3
(iv). Since the 7th CPC has assigned the pay level equivalent to the
Grade pay of Rs. 4800 to the Inspectors of CBI and IB (similar Cadre), the Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiners
of Revenue Deptt. have to be placed in the same replacement pay level of
Grade pay of Rs. 4800.
4. Administrative Officer & Private Secretary of
CBDT/CBEC
In
the submissions of the CoC, one demand was very much in common, that is, common
pay scale for all Group B Gazetted officers. This is for the first time that
any CPC has even not bothered to mention this common cadre in its report (that
means only replacement scale of PB-2 GP 4600 for our AO-PS cadres). It will be
appreciated that this “Common Cadre” tag has so far been instrumental against
these cadres in Revenue Department. But such is the misfortune that when the
matter of pay comes, there is nothing common across the Departments. In our
submissions, we pointed out the pay scales of CSS & CSSSS and various other
Departments. We also pointed out that AO Grade-III cadre in Railways had
successfully won the case upto the Hon’ble Supreme Court for the claim of PB-2
in GP of Rs.4800 but none has taken note of the development for implementing
the same in Revenue Department.
4
(ii). The Admn. Officers Grade III and
Pvt. Secretaries are the common category officers in the Revenue Department.
They had been assigned similar pay scale in all Departments across the
Government. Taking into account the fact that they are to shoulder
responsibilities and duties of Group B officers in Govt. service, they must be
uniformly assigned with the replacement pay level suggested by the 7th CPC for
Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB-2.
5. Income Tax Officer /Superintendent/Appraiser of CBDT/CBEC
The
Income Tax Officers/Superintendents/Appraisers are the executive officers and
analogous to the DSP of CBI & DCIO of IB. They are the immediate
supervisory officers for Revenue Department. The Inspectors/Preventive Officers/Examiners
are to report to the Income Tax Officers (ITO)/Superintendents/Appraisers on
all matters and especially on the specific executive functions entrusted to
them. ITOs/Superintendents/Appraisers are assigned the status of a Group B
Gazetted Officer in the Department and are entrusted with various functions
including assessment and adjudication.
5
(ii). An ITO/Superintendent/Appraiser has the largest spectrum of job profile
under his belt across all counterparts in Central Government. An
ITO/Superintendent/Appraiser as an assessing officer acts as a quasi-judicial
authority (undertaking the work of a judicial officer or a judge), an
investigator as well as law enforcing officer (undertaking the work of a Police
Officer), a Pleader as well as Solicitor (discharging the duty of a law officer
in Govt. of India), an Accountant as well as an Auditor(performing the duty of
an officer of Audit & Accounts Service), a Service Provider to Tax Payers
(parallel may be drawn to job profile of the officers of any Social Sector
Service providing Department) and last but not the least an Administrator
(heading an independent office). The ITOs/Superintendents/Appraisers discharge most complicated and widest range
of duties (including the most precious job of decision making) deserving the best
across all counterparts.
5
(iii). Unfortunately, Pay Commission did certain routine parity analysis and
rejected their claim summarily. Pay Commission has clearly failed to apprise
that the parity with the officers of IA&AD had been restored by either the
High Power Committee or Department of Expenditure and they are no
lesser/inferior authority to Pay Commission being a recommending authority, so
far as implementation of revision of pay scale is concerned. The audit and
account work is the integral part of the job responsibilities of the
Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs. They head the audit teams just like Senior Audit/Accounts Officer. The Gupta
Narain Committee recommended to place all the Group ‘B’ officers of the Central
Government including Audit and Accounts Officers in a uniform pay scale of Rs.
2200-4000/- (Page–1343, para 83.85 of V CPC report). Govt. created the grade of
Senior Audit/Accounts Officers to the extent of 80% of the then strength of the
Audit/Accounts Officers in the scale of Rs. 2200-4000/- (made Rs. 8000-13500/-
after Vth CPC) vide Order F.No. 6(82)-IC/91 Dt. 22.9.92. A grade pay of Rs.
5400/- in PB2 was recommended by the VIth CPC for Senior Audit/Accounts
Officers (counterparts of Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs) but they were placed
in a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3 by the govt. without recommendations of
CPC. Later, a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB2 was also approved for the Central
Excise Superintendents by the competent authority in Expenditure but the lower
authorities of Expenditure returned the file with the view to send their case
to the VIIth CPC vide UO No.
6/37/98-IC Dt. 24.11.14. Thus, Central Excise Superintendents etc. have been
facing the hostile discrimination since very long as their counterparts of CBI,
IB, Audit & Accounts etc. have already been placed in the higher pay scales
by one way or other. The IVth CPC recommended the same pay scale for Senior
Auditors and Assistants in CSS, i.e., Rs. 1400-2600/- and Rs. 1640-2900/- for Central Excise Inspector on the
basis of merit. It further recommended restoration of the ‘broad parity that
existed between audit and accounts’. Govt. of India accepted this
recommendation and extended the same pay scale of Rs.
1400-2600/- for Accounts staff of IA&AD and organised Accounts including
Senior Accountants (80%) and Rs. 1640-2900/- for Assistant Accounts Officers
(20%). The Audit/Accounts Officer was placed in the scale of Rs.
2000-3500/- (equivalent to Rs. 6500-10500/- of
Central Excise Inspector) and Senior Audit/Accounts Officer in Rs.
2375-3500/- lower than Rs. 2500-4000/- as recommended by HPC and granted by the
govt. to Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs. Later, Senior Audit/Accounts Officer
were placed in a scale of Rs. 8000-13500/- but Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs
in CBEC and CBDT were granted only a scale of Rs. 7500-12000/-. The VIth CPC recommended a grade pay of Rs.
4800/- in PB2 for Audit/Accounts Officer and a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB2
for Senior Audit/Accounts Officer who were placed in the grade pay of Rs. 5400/-
in PB2 and Rs. 5400/- in PB3 respectively by the govt. against the
recommendations of CPC. It is also worth to mention that Superintendent/Appraiser/ITO
and Senior Audit/Accounts Officer both are supervisory posts. As far as
work responsibilities and duties are concerned, Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs
have to work in odd night duty hours also whereas Senior Audit/Accounts Officer works in the general duty hours of day
only. Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs have to combat with hard core criminals,
white collard criminals and dreaded smugglers taking every risk on property and
life of them & family but no such element is involved in the duties of
Senior Audit/Accounts Officers. Superintendents etc. are also empowered to
record the statement of criminals like a Magistrate having validity even before
the Supreme Court but no such work responsibilities are conferred upon the
Senior Audit/Accounts Officers. Quasi-judicial responsibilities to adjudicate
the legal/judicial cases are also conferred upon the Superintendents etc. but
no such work is performed by the Senior Audit/Accounts Officers. Section
Officer (Non Gazetted) was in the pay scale of Rs.425-800/- in the Indian
Audit and Accounts Department. 80% of the total posts of Section Officer were
redesignated as Assistant Audit Officer in the higher pay scale of
Rs.650-1040/- w.e.f. 01.04.84. After IVth CPC, these posts were placed in the
pay scale of Rs.1640-2900 and Rs. 2000-3200/- respectively. They were placed in
the pay scale of Rs. 5500-9000/- and Rs.6500-10500/- respectively after Vth
CPC. These two posts have been merged and placed under the Grade Pay of
Rs. 4800 in PB2 on the basis of VIth CPC recommendations. Likewise with effect
from 01.04.92, 80% of the posts of Audit/Accounts Officer were placed in
the higher pay scale of Rs. 2200-4000/- with a benefit of fixation of pay
on notional basis w.e.f. 01.04.87. The post was designated as Senior Audit
Officer. In addition to audit and accounts work, Superintendents etc. are
also supposed to do the work of investigation &
intelligence, narcotics control, prevention of smuggling etc. New higher
responsibilities of judicial and technical nature have also been conferred upon
Superintendents etc. vide Circular No. 922/12/ 2010-CX issued vide F. No. 208/2/2009-CX-6 Dt. 18.05.10 and
130/12/2010–ST issued vide F. No.
137/68/2010-CX. 4 Dt. 20.05.10 by making due amendments in relevant Act very well
after implementation of 6th CPC report. They have also been
conferred with new higher technical/scientific responsibilities of ACES since
2010 very well after the implementation of 6th CPC report. They are also conferred with the new
additional responsibilities every year in the Finance Bill (Budget).
Unfortunately, the CPC kept mum on all of the above facts. Despite of the
admission by the Govt. under RTI vide letter No. 1148/Dir(A)/2008 Dt. 08.12.08
of Expenditure Department that the pay scale of Central Excise Superintendent
etc. was enhanced to grant them parity with DSP of CBI/DCIO of IB, Central
Excise Superintendent etc. were not given the said parity and were granted
merely a lower pay scale of Rs. 7500-12000/- instead of Rs. 8000-13500/- or
equivalent. Govt. enhanced pay scale of DSP
of CBI considering them as Police Organisation while Hon’ble CAT as well as Vth
CPC didn’t agree to consider CBI as Police Organisation. However, Special Police Establishment (Executive Staff)
Recruitment Rules and CBI Recruitment
Rules, 1987 consider department of
Central Excise as a Police Organisation. Section 21 of Central Excise Act and Section 53 of NDPS Act confer powers of Officer-in-Charge of
Police Station on Central Excise officers.
Not only it, the Central Excise personnel are also deployed on International
borders, International Airports and International Sea Ports. These personnel
have suffered heavy casualties while dealing with trans-border criminals and
countering with dreaded smugglers. In fact in J & K, North Eastern states
and other border areas of India, Central Excise personnel are deployed side by
side with Army, BSF, CRPF and ITBP on the same location. Also as per the OM issued vide F. No.
8/B/90/HRD (HRM)/2011 (Part-I)/4853 Dt. 21.10.14 and No.C.30013/11/2011-Ad.IV.A
Dt.02.08.13 of the Govt. of India, the Central Excise Superintendents perform
their duties in the nature and style of ‘Military’ and ‘Navy’ being uniformed
officers bearing “Ashoka Emblem”. But again unfortunately, CPC paid no heed to
the above facts. Central Excise
Inspectors, Income Tax Inspectors, Preventive Officers and Examiners get a
benefit of mere Rs. 200/- on being promoted to the a PB2 post whereas analogous
Inspectors of CBI/IB are being promoted
to a PB3 post with a benefit of Rs. 800/-. Analogous
posts of Inspectors (feeder posts) of
Central Excise, CBI/IB, Income Tax, Preventive Officers and Examiners have
already been placed at par in a grade pay of Rs. 4600/- but the analogous
promotional posts, i.e., Central Excise Superintendent, Income Tax Officer,
Customs Superintendent and Appraiser (GP-Rs. 4800/-) and Deputy Superintendent of
CBI/DCIO of IB (GP-Rs. 5400/- in PB3) are yet to be placed at par.
Till 7.2.1996, the pay scale of both promotional posts (Central Excise
Superintendent, Income Tax Officer, Customs Superintendent, Appraiser and DSP
of CBI) was same, i.e., Rs. 2000-3500/-. However, the Govt. of India vide DOPT
OM No. 245/23/95 – AVD-II dated 08.02.1996
enhanced the pay scale of DSP of CBI to Rs. 2200-4000/- retrospectively
w.e.f. 01.01.1986 without recommendations of CPC and also without any increase
in their responsibilities. Now, it is gross injustice not to bring the
promotional posts at par particularly
when the govt. also admitted that pay scale of Central Excise Superintendent,
Income Tax Officer, Customs Superintendent and Appraiser was enhanced to Rs.
7500-12000/- to grant them parity with the DSP of CBI/DCIO of IB. Hence, promotional posts also being analogous, may also kindly be placed under equal pay scale to undo the disparity by placing Central Excise Superintendent, Income Tax Officer, Customs
Superintendent and Appraiser in a pay scale
equivalent to a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3 at par with DSP of CBI and DCIO
of IB. It is also worth
to submit again that the Expenditure Department had already agreed principally
to grant a grade pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB2 vide UO No. 6/37/98-IC Dt. 24.11.14
to Central Excise Superintendent in consonance of the para 7.15.24 of the
report of 6th CPC but not implemented on the pretext of the setting up of the 7th
CPC. So, there is no rationale to place
Central Excise Superintendent, Income Tax Officer, Customs
Superintendent and Appraiser merely under a grade pay of rs. 4800/- or
equivalent. The plea by above gazetted officers of
Revenue Department for grant of GP of Rs. 5400/- in PB3 has been turned down
stating that it is group ‘A’ entry scale. That being the case, how could group
‘C’ post of Inspector of CBI be upgraded to GP of Rs. 4800/- keeping several
group ‘B’ gazettted cadres in GP of Rs. 4600/- and 4800/-. Moreover once upon a
time, the feeder post of Assistant and promotional post of Section Officer were
placed in the same pay scale in CSS. Likewise, feeder and promotional posts
were being placed in the same pay scale in Audit and Accounts services. Group ‘B’ officers in Sates and Group ‘A’ All India
Service Officers are also recruited in the same grade pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3
and get next promotion to same post in grade pay of Rs. 6600/-. Accordingly,
there should not be any problem to place the Superintendent etc. in the Grade
Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3. This problem
may, however, also be solved by promoting the Superintendent/Appraiser/ITO
directly to STS post like many other counterparts or even making the group ‘A’
entry at Level 11 (equivalent to GP of Rs. 6600/-). The CBEC has also already recommended for the grant of a Grade Pay of
Rs. 5400/- in PB3 for Central Excise Superintendents to Revenue Hqrs and also
to give them next promotion in STS post vide OM F. No. A-26017/154/2015-Ad.IIA
Dt. 22.02.16.
5 (iv). In view of the above, it is requested to undo the
discrimination meted out to the Superintendents/Appraisers/ITOs by granting
them parity with the counterparts like Senior Audit/Accounts Officers, DSP of
CBI, DCIO of IB etc. by assigning
the level pay equivalent to the Grade pay of Rs. 5400 in PB-3 and the consequent
non functional grade equivalent to Grade pay of Rs. 6600 on completion of four
year of service.
5
(v). Moreover, Pay Commissions always worked to merge the pay scales. The
creation of Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB2 and PB3 by 6th CPC was
illogical, unjustified and a gross mistake. This led to discrimination,
resentment and consequential litigations. It was expected that this CPC would
remove this disparity by merger of this bifurcation of single grade pay but,
very unfortunately, the CPC has retained the same as Level 9 and Level 10. The
same is, therefore, requested to be merged
at Level 10. Merger of Level 9 and 10
has also been recommended by the CBEC to the Revenue Hqrs vide OM F. No.
A-26017/154/2015-Ad.IIA Dt. 22.02.16.
5
(vi). The special allowances/risk
allowance as available to CBI, IB, Police etc. are also required to be
granted at least @ 25% of salary per month to the revenue/tax officers
alongwith 13 months salary in the year and other perks/benefits. It is also
worth to submit that the enforcement, investigation & intelligence is the
integral part of the duties of the Revenue Officers like Police, CBI & IB. The counterparts of Enforcement Directorate have
also been granted special allowance @ 25% of salary per month by the Govt. vide
F.No. 16/5/2007.Ad.ED Dt.24.11.15 in our own Department of Revenue vide without
recommendations of CPC. The
executive officers of Customs are presently paid ‘Rummaging Allowance’ merely @
Rs. 500 per month for rummaging and intelligence work and all executive officers
of revenue Department are required to work beyond office hours.
5
(vii). The most of group ‘B’ gazetted officers in Central as well as State
governments are being promoted directly to a Senior Time Scale (STS) post with
GP of Rs. 6600/- in PB-3 including CSS, CPWD, Railway Board, CSSS, AFHQ, CVC,
UPSC, MEA, MPA, NCB, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Enforcement Directorate in Revenue Department itself, Forest
services, Police services, Foreign Services, Engineering services, State
services etc., whereas Revenue Officers are being promoted merely to a Junior
Time Scale (JTS) post with Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB-3. So, it is requested
that the Revenue Officers may also kindly be promoted directly to a STS post. They may further be promoted to the post having the
grade pay of Rs. 8700/- (like CPWD where group ‘A’ direct entry is also in a GP
of Rs. 5400/- in PB3 like CBEC and CBDT) from STS post. It is also worth to
submit that the posts in GP of Rs. 5400/- & 6600/- and Rs. 7600/- &
8700/- are functionally same.
This point of promotion to STS was also appreciated and agreed by the Pay
Commission in Mumbai hearing but not recommended. Direct promotion to STS has also been recommended by CBEC to the
Revenue Hqrs. vide OM F. No. A-26017/154/2015-Ad.IIA Dt. 22.02.16.
5
(viii). The promotional hierarchy is
varying department to department in the Central Govt. as under-
a)
Somewhere Group ‘B’ Gazetted Officers are promoted to a Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/-
in PB3 (CBEC, CBDT, Department of Posts etc.) whereas they are being promoted
to a Grade Pay of Rs. 6600/- at other places (CSS, Railway Board, CSSS, CPWD,
AFHQ, CVC, UPSC, MEA, MPA, NCB, Rajya Sabha Secretariat etc.).
b)
Somewhere Group ‘B’ Non-Gazetted Officers are promoted to a Grade Pay of Rs.
5400/- in PB3 (CBI, IB, Hindi departments etc.) whereas they are being promoted
to a Grade Pay of Rs. 4800/- or Rs. 4600/- at other places (CBEC, CBDT,
Department of Posts, CPWD etc.).
c)
Somewhere promotional hierarchy is 4600à6600à8700 (CPWD
etc.).
d)
Somewhere promotional hierarchy is 4600à4800à6600à7600à8700 (CSS, Railway Board,
CSSS, AFHQ, CVC, UPSC, MEA, MPA, NCB, Rajya Sabha Secretariat etc.).
e)
Somewhere promotional hierarchy is 4600à5400à6600à7600à8700 (CBI, IB, Hindi
departments etc.).
f)
Somewhere promotional hierarchy is 4600à4800à5400à6600à7600à8700 (CBEC, CBDT,
Department of Posts etc.).
5
(ix). So, promotional hierarchy after entry into group ‘B’ may kindly be made
uniform for the sake of justice to all. Posts
under grade pays of Rs. 5400/- & 6600/- and also Rs. 7600/- & 8700/-
being functionally same, ideal promotional hierarchy for all after entry
into Group ‘B’ may only kindly be “4600à6600à8700à10000” on the pattern of
CPWD. Officer may kindly be promoted, functionally or non-functionally, after
the completion of residency period as prescribed by DOPT vide OM No. AB.
14017/61/2008-Estt. (RR) Dt. 24.03.09. It is 7 years for 4600/- to 6600/- and
10 years for 6600/- to 8700/- and further 3 years for 8700/- to 10000/- and so
on. This point of uniform promotional hierarchy
was also appreciated and agreed by the Pay Commission in Mumbai hearing but not
recommended. The CBEC has also
recommended to Revenue Hqrs for the uniform promotional hierarchy across all
the Departments/Ministries under the Govt. of India vide OM F. No.
A-26017/154/2015-Ad.IIA Dt. 22.02.16.
5 (x). BATCH TO BATCH NON FUNCTIONAL FINANCIAL
UPGRADATION TO EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF CBEC AND CBDT AT PAR WITH THE BEST PLACED
COUNTERPARTS AFTER ENTRY INTO GROUP ‘B’ NON-GAZETTED OR EQUIVALENT GRADE: All organised
group ‘A’ officers recruited with IAS,
best placed group ‘A’ service, in same pay scale through common entry
have been granted financial parity with
counterparts of IAS in the form of non-functional financial
up-gradation vide DOPT OM No. AB.14017/64/2008-Estt.(RR) dt.24.04.09 to
compensate lack of promotions as compared to IAS. This scheme was introduced
for group ‘A’ officers to compensate financial loss in comparison to
counterparts of IAS. Thus, Revenue Officers may also kindly be granted non-functional
financial up-gradation at par with their best placed common entry counterparts
like CSS etc. (recruited in same pay scale through common entry examination)
after entry into Group ‘B’ or equivalent grade. This NFU was also recommended to the Pay Commission by the department
vide F. No. 8/B/70/HRD (HRM)/2014 Dt. 16.01.14 but, unfortunately, they kept
mum on the issue despite of being agreed in Jodhpur meeting. It has again been
recommended by CBEC to the Revenue Hqrs for our officers vide OM F. No. A-26017/154/2015-Ad.IIA
Dt. 22.02.16.
5
(xi). Diet Allowance: The Pay
Commission appears to have not taken note of the Diet Allowance being paid to
the Air Customs Officers and Air Customs Superintendents working on International
airports & likewise places and has dealt with the issue with regard to the
Immigration Officers only. Our officers are being paid a meagre amount of Rs. 200/-
per month towards compensation for food which by no way is anywhere near the
actual expenditure being incurred by them. Diet Allowance,
therefore, may kindly be granted as percentage of the Pay. It is also worth to
mention that these officers work for 12 hours in a stretch without any lunch
hour at these places.
1.
Equal Pay and
Cadre Structure in the Administrative Wing :
Successive Pay Commissions have been making recommendations for equal
Pay for similarly placed ministerial officers in Hdqrs. Organisation and Field
formation. The recommendation of 7th
Central Pay Commission vide Para 7.1.4 (j) is worth mentioning here and reproduced
below:
“The Commission accordingly strongly recommends parity in pay between
the field staff and headquarter staff up to the rank of Assistants on two
grounds firstly the field staffs are recruited through the same examination and
they follow the same rigour as the Assistants of CSS and secondly there is no
difference in the nature of functions discharged by both. …………..……”
6 (ii). There is a wide disparity of Cadre structure in the
administrative wing between CBDT & CBEC and that with Hdqrs. Organisation. These may be removed to improve efficiency at
the cutting age level where policies of Govt. of India actually
implemented. Accordingly, we demand an
identical Cadre structure of the administrative wing and a Pay structure both
in CBDT & CBEC which will also place us on an identical structure of Hdqrs.
organization i.e. Secretariat Offices.
2.
To finalise
the Recruitment Rules as per suggestions of Recognised Federations/Associations
immediately:
After the Cadre Restructuring of both the
Departments, new Recruitment Rules not yet finalised/notified except some Group
C cadres. The RRs may be finalised/notified immediately after due discussions
with the staff Associations/Federations.
We would remain ever-grateful, if the
above-mentioned issues are resolved by your kind intervention. We hope that your kind intervention will definitely
bring a ray of hope for the entire cross-section of staffs and officers of the
Revenue Department.
Thanking you,
Yours
sincerely,
(RAVI MALIK)
(ANUPAM NEERAJ) (RUPAK
SARKAR)
Joint Convenors
Copy to :
1.
The Hon’ble Minister of
State, Finance, North Block, New Delhi.
2.
The Hon’ble Revenue
Secretary, Ministry of Finance, North Block, New Delhi.
3.
The Hon’ble Chairman,
Central Board of Excise & Customs, North Block, New Delhi.
4.
The Hon’ble Chairman,
Central Board of Direct Taxes, North Block, New Delhi. 