Central
Excise Superintendents have totally been ignored by 7th Pay
Commission in the matter of pay scale as well as career prospects despite of
being conferred new responsibilities of higher nature in judicial and technical
fields of adjudication and ACES since
2010. Their claim for
higher pay and better career prospects becomes even stronger on account of
recording statements like a Magistrate having validity even before
Supreme Court. Despite of the admission by Expenditure Department, they have
not been granted the pay scale at par with
DSP of CBI etc. The pay scale of both
categories were same till 07.02.96 but Govt. enhanced the pay scale of DSP of
CBI without recommendations of Pay Commission vide order Dt.
08.02.96 with retrospective effect since 01.01.96 without any increase in their
responsibilities. The feeder post of Inspectors of Central Excise and CBI are
already in the same pay scale, it is gross injustice not to bring the
promotional posts (Central Excise Superintendent and DSP of CBI) at par. DSP of CBI etc. are also being paid 25% per month
extra salary and 13 months salary in the year. The plea by
Central Excise Superintendents for grant of Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3 has
been turned down stating that it is group ‘A’ entry scale for their promotional
post. That being the case, the feeder post of Assistant and promotional post of
Section Officer were placed in the same pay scale in CSS once upon a time just
before the implementation of VIth CPC report. 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. Accordingly, there should not be any problem to place Central
Excise Superintendent in the Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3. This problem may
also be solved by promoting the Superintendent directly to STS post like many
other counterparts or even making the group ‘A’ entry at Grade Pay of Rs.
6600/-. Central Excise Superintendent should,
therefore, be placed at least in a pay scale equivalent to Grade Pay of Rs.
5400/- in PB3 with time scale in Grade Pay of Rs. 6600/- after 4 years of
service and also special allowance @ 25% of
salary with 13 months salary in the year.
Central Excise Superintendents are retiring with single
promotion on a PB2 post in a career of 35-40 years whereas their common entry
counterparts of Customs, CBDT, CBI, CSS etc. are easily entering into PB4
levels with 5-6 promotions. Central Excise Superintendents are also forced to
work under their extreme juniors of Customs (Examiners) belonging to one &
same cadre of Inspector and recruited through one & same process under one
& same organization of Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) in one
& same department of Revenue of one & same Ministry of Finance with one
& same administrative hierarchy. Examiner of 1984 has already become Addl.
Commissioner (GP-Rs. 8700/- in PB4) after getting 5 promotions whereas the
Central Excise Inspector of 1984 is yet to get IInd promotion to JTS post of
Asstt. Commissioner (GP-Rs. 5400/- in PB3). The counterparts of CSS including
Rajya Sabha Secretariat and CBDT are already reaching the level of Joint
Secretary and Commissioner respectively in the GP of Rs. 10000/- in PB4. Particularly
keeping in view the extraordinarily acute stagnation of Central Excise
Superintendents and Inspectors, they should be granted non-functional financial
up-gradation (NFU) to grant them at
least financial parity with the counterparts of CSS etc.
The
Cabinet/CRC/Cabinet Secretary recommended to take extra measures to remove
stagnation of group ‘B’ Central Excise executive officers independent of cadre
restructuring. But very unfortunately, no measures have been taken till
date. A scheme, therefore, should be
formulated enabling Central Excise Superintendents and Inspectors entered into
PB4 levels like the common entry counterparts of CBDT, CSS, Customs etc. by
introduction of flexible/dynamic
promotion/complementing scheme as was done for the Scientists in the Department of Science &
Technology to remove their stagnation and also for Drivers.
The
promotional hierarchy is varying department to department in the Central Govt. like
GP of 4600à6600à8700 (CPWD etc.), 4600à4800à6600à7600à8700 (CSS, Railway Board, CSSS, AFHQ, CVC,
UPSC, MEA, MPA, NCB, Rajya Sabha Secretariat etc.), 4600à5400à6600à7600à8700 (CBI, IB, Hindi departments etc.),
4600à4800à5400à6600à7600à8700 (CBEC, CBDT, Department of Posts etc.)
etc. So, promotional hierarchy after
entry into group ‘B’ should be made uniform like CPWD keeping in view that posts
under grade pays of Rs. 5400/- & 6600/- and also Rs. 7600/- & 8700/- are
functionally same.
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. but Central Excise Superintendents are being promoted (if
any) merely to a Junior Time Scale (JTS) post with Grade Pay
of Rs. 5400/- in PB-3. Thus, Central Excise Superintendents should also be promoted directly to STS.
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 7th CPC would remove this
disparity by merger of this bifurcation of single grade pay but the CPC has
retained the same as Level 9 and Level 10. The same, therefore, should
be merged to Level 10.
Residency
periods have been prescribed by the DOPT for promotion from one grade to
another vide OM No. AB.14017/61/2008-Estt. (RR) Dt. 24.03.09. No need to say
that the same have been prescribed by DOPT with due diligence and application
of mind. The officers should, therefore, be granted functional or
non-functional upgradations on
completion of residency periods as prescribed by DOPT.
The CBEC has
also recommended for the grant of a Grade Pay of Rs. 5400/- in PB3, next
promotion to STS, NFU, flexible/dynamic promotion/complementing scheme etc. for Central Excise Superintendents and
merger of Level 9 & 10 & uniform promotional
hierarchy across the Ministries/Departments of Central Govt. The representation
of All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers
representing Central Excise Superintendents and promotee Group ‘A’ officers of
Central Excise is also enclosed alongwith recommendations of CBEC and other
enclosures for favourable consideration mentioning some more additional points
like at least 40% increase in pay &
allowances, weightage of Group B service, higher
salary for revenue officials etc. No need to say that they are always collecting the govt. revenue above the set
targets. The grant of job-satisfaction to them shall increase the govt. revenue
and efficiency of tax administration in multifold way.