ALL INDIA ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL EXCISE
GAZETTED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers , the organization representing about 11,800 Gazetted Executive Officers of the Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax Department, has embarked upon an agitation programme from 25/09/2012, demanding immediate approval of Cadre Restructuring proposal of CBEC without any cut as cleared by the Honourable Finance Minister and Department of Expenditure, implementation of Apex Court Order dated 03.08.11 retrospectively as per judgement, granting of GP-5400 in PB-3 to the grade of Superintendent of Central Excise w.e.f 01.01.2006 , introduction of in situ scheme to remove stagnation etc.. The department is already facing acute shortage of manpower both at the staff and officers level, especially at the cutting edge level i.e. Assistant Commissioners who are playing a very crucial role in revenue collection.
Near about 8000 nos. of Superintendents have completed 30 year of services as Inspectors and Superintendents combinedly at present and waiting for their promotion to Gr-A. The Inspectors who are joining in the department as direct recruit are retiring by getting one promotion to the grade of Superintendent in their service career. Whereas those similar placed employees who are joining in Income Tax department or in CSS or as Examiner in Customs are getting almost 5 to 6 promotions in their service career, While 1992 batch Examiners are being promoted to the grade of Asst. Commissioner, the 1975 batch Inspectors are still Superintendents and are being forced to work under the 1992 batch of Examiners who are quite juniors to them in service. The parity is the basic concept of our Constitution, parity in promotion is required to be maintained amongst the similar placed employees of same department, but till date the Govt. of India have not initiated any action to maintain parity in promotion amongst the Examiners/Preventive Officers and Inspectors of CBEC . The educational qualification, mode of recruitment and Grade Pay for these post are similar. The Examiner, Preventive Officers and Inspectors are being recruited by the same examination conducted by Staff Selection Commission. Recently the Honourable Apex Court have decided for revision of recruitment Rules and making regularization of pending adhoc promotions since 97 on the basis of such new recruitment rules, but Govt. of India made contempt of the said order dated 03.08.11 by not regularizing the pending adhoc promotions on the basis of said new amended /revised recruitment rules retrospectively. Whereas in past in a similar occasion Govt made adhoc regularization with retrospective effect to allow benefits to the officers of the Customs wing. Major revenue of Govt. of India are being collected through CBEC. Inspectors and Superintendents are basically responsible for collection of such major revenue. But these officers are not being awarded at least two promotions in their service career and are not being granted with appropriate pay as has been granted to similar placed employees of Central Govt.
Considering the utter frustration of Superintendents who are languishing without any promotion for around 18/20 years and being forced to work under their natural juniors by 17 years, AIACEGEO had served a notice dated 22.07.13, on the Finance Minister of India informing that the Satyagraha programme would be revived with bearing of black badges and observing lunch hour Shantigoshthis (peaceful meetings) before the offices of the respective Commissioners & Chief Commissioners by our members on 04.09.13 throughout India, if nothing positive happens in respect of the charter of demands and other staff grievances. As the Govt. failed to approve the CR proposals of CBEC at an early date and redressed all the genuine demands, AIACEGEO is constrained to adopt the agitation with bearing of black badges and observing lunch hour Shantigoshthis (peaceful meetings) before the offices of the respective Commissioners & Chief Commissioners by all its members on 04.09.13 throughout India.
The Gazetted Executive Officers posted in entire 124 Commissionerates have confirmed their participation in the strike action. The strike is organized by the All India Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers, New Delhi on the basis of the strike notice served on 22.07.13 to Finance Minister of India for a settlement of the 10 Point charter of demands.. The Gazetted Executive Officers of throughout the country are mainly agitated over the delay in approval of Cadre Restructuring proposals of Central Board of Excise and Customs and cleared by the Honourable Finance Minister & Department of Expenditure since long. It is required to approve Cadre Restructuring in every 5 years but only one cadre restructurings was approved during 2002 by Central Government for this old Department . There are near about 12000 Gazetted Executive Officers working in Central Excise, Service Tax and Customs Department but all most all of these Gazetted Executive Officers are retiring without getting promotion to Gr-A posts. The reason of such acute stagnation is mainly attributed for non conducting of Cadre Restructuring within the time frame prescribed by Central Government. The Gazetted Executive Officers known as Superintendent of Central Excise are retiring after getting only one promotion in their service career on account of decades long acute stagnation. They are deprived of the appropriate pay scale/pay band & grade pay. They are facing the worst career prospects and working conditions. The employee grievance redressal mechanism has totally failed as the administration has no interest to redress the staff grievances. The Gazetted Excutive Officers of Central Excise are forced to work under the extreme juniors of Customs belonging to the same cadre. The cadre restructuring is pending with the government for last 7 years. The concerned authorities are taking nothing seriously in relation of any of the issues. In view the above, the Association is forced to decide to revive the agitational programme . The notice dated 22.07.13 to conduct agitation on 04.09.13 is posted below for information of all our members.
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
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. 207/A/13 Dt. 22.07.13
To,
Sh. P. Chidambaram,
The Hon’ble Finance Minister,
Govt. of India, New Delhi.
Sub: Revival of Satyagraha.
Sir,
Kindly refer to the Ref. No. 54/A/13 Dt. 10.04.13 & 68/A/13 Dt. 26.04.13 alongwith the Ref. No. 93/A/12 Dt. 31.12.12, 27/H/13 Dt. 04.03.13, 33/A/12 Dt. 18.03.13, 34/A/12 Dt. 19.03.13, 44/A/12 Dt. 02.04.13 etc. of the Association.
2. It is submitted with due regards that the Satyagraha programme was deferred in expectation of some positive results in r/o the charter of demands and other staff grievances. The final approval of the cadre restructuring was expected at an early date after the due approval by your goodself on 12.04.13. But contrary to the expectations, the cadre restructuring proposal was sent for re-clearance to the Department of Expenditure even after your approval instead of sending it immediately to the Cadre Review Committee. The Ministers, Secretaries and Chairmen have been keeping changed but there is no change in the fate of cadre restructuring and our career prospects.
3. As already submitted, our officers are retiring in PB2 after getting only one promotion in the service career while other common entry counterparts of ours are retiring in PB4 after getting 5-6 promotions. We are deprived of the due pay scale/pay band & grade pay and facing the worst career prospects. Our officers are getting promotion (if any) merely to Junior Time Scale while other counterparts of CPWD, CSS etc. to Senior Time Scale. The employee grievance redressal mechanism has totally failed. We are forced to work under the extreme juniors of Customs belonging to the same cadre. All of our officers are totally demoralised and have nothing to be job-satisfied or motivated. If career prospects were disclosed in the recruitment advertisement, these officers would have never joined this job. The rights to grow, make progress and live with dignity have been snatched from us. There is no change in the scenario regarding our career prospects despite of the repeated representations, pleadings & requests being made by the Association for many decades. All of our grievances have been unredressed for decades despite of the assurances. Some of the grievances are enlisted at Annexure-I.
4. In view of the above, it is intimated that the Satyagraha programme would be revived with bearing of black badges and observing lunch hour Shantigoshthis (peaceful meetings) before the offices of the respective Commissioners & Chief Commissioners by our officers on 04.09.13 throughout India, if nothing positive happens in r/o the enclosed charter of demands and other staff grievances.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Encls: (i) Charter of demands &
(ii) Annexure-I.
(RAVI MALIK),
Secretary General.
Copy with the request for necessary action to-
1) The MOS, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, North Block, New Delhi.
2) The Secretary, Department of Revenue, North Block, New Delhi.
3) The Chairperson, CBEC, North Block, New Delhi.
(RAVI MALIK).
Charter of demands
1. Immediate implementation of the cadre restructuring without any cut as originally approved by the Expenditure. All proposed posts to be approved on permanent basis and filled-up only by promotions alongwith no direct recruitment in group ‘A’ at least for 5 years after implementation of cadre restructuring.
2. Parity with other common entry counterparts of CSS etc. either in the cadre restructuring or independent of it to retire our officers also in PB-4.
3. Immediate fulfilment of the commitments like “creation of separate service for group ‘B’ executive officers”, “promotion of group ‘B’ gazetted executive officer directly to STS like CSS”, “to bring all Inspectors, PO’s & Examiners of same year to same level of promotion”, ‘filling-up all the posts/vacancies of cadre restructuring by promotions & extend this benefit for more than 1 years”, “uniform minimum qualifying service for promotion to gazetted post for Inspector, PO & Examiner” etc. etc. made during the presentation on cadre restructuring proposal on 18.01.11 in consonance of the submissions made by the Association vide its Ref. No. 13/11 Dt. 27.01.11.
4. At least four functional promotions in the service career.
5. Immediate implementation of the Supreme Court verdict dt. 03.08.11 by framing “just, fair & equitable” recruitment rules and abiding all the ad hoc promotions with the same duly granting notional promotions to the seniors of Central Excise whose juniors of Customs have already been promoted.
6. Initial grade pay of Rs. 5,400/- in PB3 to the Superintendent w.e.f. the date of the grant of this grade pay/equivalent pay scale to other analogous counterparts of IB, CBI etc.
7. Time-scale in PB3 instead of PB2 to the Superintendents after completion of 4 years of service and next promotion directly to the post of Deputy Commissioner (STS post) to maintain parity between the officers of headquarters organisations & field offices. Also counting of regular service in non-discriminatory manner as compared to CSS etc.
8. At least a grade pay of Rs. 6,600-/ & 7,600/- on IInd & IIIrd MACP upgradation without offsetting with time scale and undoing para 8.1 on the lines of MACPS adopted by the State Governments like Uttar Pradesh etc. or even better on account of the originating source (i.e., 6th CPC) being the common.
9. Finalisation of in-situ promotion scheme under consultation of the Association.
10. Holding of regular minuted meetings under employee grievances redressal mechanism.
1. Immediate approval & implementation of cadre restructuring without any cut.
2. Parity with common entry counterparts of CSS etc. recruited through same examination conducted by SSC either in the cadre restructuring or independent of it to retire our officers in PB-4.
3. Immediate fulfilment of the commitments made during the presentation on cadre restructuring on 18.01.11.
4. At least four functional promotions in the service career.
5. Creation of separate service on the lines of CSS.
6. Promoting all the Superintendents who have completed 1.5 times of qualifying service on the lines of CSS.
7. Batch to batch Non Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) to the Central Excise executive officers at par with the counterparts of CSS.
8. Parity between the officers of headquarters organisations & field offices.
9. Immediate re-framing of RR’s and regularization of all adhoc promotions.
10. Use of extended panel in delayed DPC’s to grant promotions.
11. Promotion of Group ‘B’ Gazetted Executive Officers directly to STS like CSS, CPWD etc.
12. Seniority benefit on promotion to group ‘A’ in lieu of the service rendered in group ‘B’.
13. Initial grade pay of Rs. 5,400/- in PB3 to Central Excise Superintendents w.e.f. the date of the grant of this grade pay/equivalent pay scale to the other analogous counterparts and implementation of para 7.15.24 of 6th CPC report.
14. Arrears of pay since 1986 & implementation of Dharmveer Gupta letter.
15. Retrospective implementation of the pay scale revision of the Superintendents of Central Excise.
16. Non-functional time scale in PB3 to the Superintendents after completing 4 years of service.
17. Removal of irregularities in MACPS, grant of MACP upgradation to the time scale holders & at least a grade pay of Rs. 6,600-/ & 7,600/- on IInd & IIIrd MACP upgradation after joining as Inspector.
18. Undoing the offsetting of MACP upgradation with the time scale.
19. Undoing of para 8.1 of MACPS instructions.
20. Implementation of Supreme Court judgement to step up of pay of seniors, if junior is drawing more pay on account of ACP/MACP upgradation/s.
21. Not to count the promotion of UDC to Inspector as actual promotion for the purpose of grant of ACP/MACP upgradation on the lines of promotion of UDC to DOS.
22. Promotions against existing vacancies of Asstt. Commissioner & DPC for financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14.
23. Counting of regular service in consonance of the letter F. No. A/60/13/RTI/2006-Ad.IIIB Dt. 26.05.06 of CBEC.
24. Upgradation of the posts of Superintendent based on length of service after joining as Inspector.
25. Revival of the grant of special pay of Audit.
26. Option for purchase of weapons issued on loan basis.
27. Removal of transfer & posting irregularities and stoppage of violation of transfer/posting policy.
28. Posting of Association functionaries at headquarters office.
29. Grant of powers of refund, rebate etc. to Superintendents.
30. Stoppage of harassment to the staff.
31. Stoppage of delay in vigilance/disciplinary cases.
32. Holding of regular minuted meetings under the employee grievances redressal mechanism.
33. Centralised GPF account.
34. Minimisation of litigations with staff.
35. Authorisation of premier private hospitals for medical care and treatment.
36. Free annual medical health check-ups.
37. Role of Inspectors & other hardships in ACES.
38. Stoppage of loan postings in the Board/Directorates etc. against willingness.
39. Merger of three Group ‘B’ Executive non-gazetted streams into one cadre.
40. Issuance of the statutory guidelines for wearing of uniform.
41. Grant of reward to the officers working in audit branches on the lines of anti-evasion.
42. Finalisation of in-situ promotions scheme under consultation of the Association.
43. Removal of disparities in the pay structures of Superintendents and Inspectors in the Customs & Central Excise Settlement Commission on deputation basis.
44. Independent HRD.
45. Undoing of massive reports by Range offices.
