Batch to batch Non Functional Financial Upgradation to the Central Excise executive officers at par with the best placed counterparts of CSS etc.
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. 138/NFU/14 Dt. 02.07.14
To,
Sh. B. B. Agrawal,
The Commissioner, Study Group for removal of stagnation of Group B officers,
New Delhi.
Sub: Batch to batch Non Functional Financial Upgradation to the Central Excise executive officers at par with the best placed counterparts of CSS etc.
Sir,
It is submitted with due regards that all organised group ‘A’ officers recruited with IAS, the best placed group ‘A’ service, in the same pay scale through common entry examination have been granted financial parity with the counterparts of IAS. They have been granted non-functional financial up-gradation vide DOPT OM No. AB.14017/64/2008-Estt.(RR) dt. 24.04.09 to compensate the lack of promotions as compared with IAS. But nothing such has occurred to group ‘B’ officers.
2. The CSS officers are the best placed group ‘B’ officers of Govt. of India like IAS in group ‘A’. The group ‘B’ officers at the level of Inspector of Central Excise and the Assistant of CSS are recruited in a common scale of pay through common entry examination. The officers recruited as Assistant (Group-B, Non Gazetted) in the Ministries get the benefit of promotions upto the Joint Secretary level, i.e., 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/- and v) JS with GP of Rs. 10000/-. However, their counterpart Inspectors of Central Excise in Central Board of Excise & Customs recruited as Group ‘B’ (Non Gazetted) through same All India competitive examination get only one promotion in 35/40 years of career. Assistants/Section Officers are working in headquarters offices on policy making seats whereas Inspectors/Superintendents of Central Excise are working on more important seats of revenue collection in the field formations. Despite of working on more important seats, Inspectors/Superintendents of Central Excise are not treated at par with the counterparts of CSS. These CSS counterparts are retiring 4-5 grades above the officers recruited as the Inspector of Central Excise. On account of this, the CSS counterparts are getting 60% more pay than the officers recruited as Inspector of Central Excise. Even the pension of CSS counterparts is more than the salary of the officers recruited as Inspector of Central Excise. The Inspectors of Central Excise are recruited in PB2 and also retire on a PB2 post of Superintendent barring around 1% while all of their common entry counterparts of CSS easily reach PB4 levels after being recruited with them in PB2. It is also worth to submit that the revenue officers are highly placed throughout the world in the matter of salary, perks and career prospects as compared to other employees but, very unfortunately, our officers are forced to face the worst prospects in every respect.
3. The group ‘A’ officers are selected under Central Staffing Scheme in the Ministries on deputation basis from organized Group ‘A’ Services or from CSS being promoted from the post of Assistant/Section Officer but no such opportunity is available to the Inspectors/Superintendents of Central Excise who are not only looking after the work relating to collection of Central Excise duty but also looking after the work of collection of Customs duty (including Inland Air Travel Tax & Foreign Travel Tax) and Service Tax. Needless to submit that they are already earning the major portion of the Govt. revenues. It is also worth to submit that the Govt. of India has regularly been earning the revenue far ahead of the targets in r/o of Central Excise duty, Customs duty and Service Tax particularly due to the efficient, committed & effective efforts of Central Excise Inspectors/Superintendents.
4. Above facts very well manifest the injustice meted to officers recruited as Central Excise Inspector despite of the most important work of revenue collection being done by them. During this course, they have been facing every threat including life on them as well as their families by the chronic
revenue offenders, dreaded hardcore smugglers and white collared criminals alongwith tremendous administrative pressures. Thus, the officers recruited as the Inspector of Central Excise deserve a far better treatment in every aspect including pay, perks and career prospects. The grant of the non-functional financial upgradation on batch to batch basis at par with common entry counterparts of CSS etc. after entry into group B Non-Gazetted grade may really be a solace for these hard working Central Excise executive officers.
5. The Central Excise Superintendents have been facing continuous acute stagnation for decades. Out of more than 11500 Central Excise Superintendents, around 10000 are already eligible for promotion to group ‘A’ having rendered many times more than the qualifying service.
6. As far as the importance of the responsibilities is concerned, Superintendents are discharging all functions relating to assessment, investigation & intelligence, issuance of Show Cause Notices with the powers of adjudication. They have not only been conferred with the judicial powers of adjudication but also conferred with judicial powers of recording statements in terms of Section 14 of the Central Excise Act and Section 108 of the Customs Act. The statements tendered before the Central Excise Superintendent have a legal binding and are treated as a valid piece of evidence by various courts including the Hon’ble Supreme Court just like the statements tendered before a Magistrate. No such powers have been conferred to the CSS officers or any other counterparts of Central Excise Superintendents/Inspectors. Not only it, the Adjudication Orders are also being prepared by them for the Commissioner level officers. It is also important to mention that the judicial officers are not only already being highly paid with extra perks but also treated in a far better way in the matter of career prospects than our Superintendents. Though the Central Excise Superintendents are performing more responsible work functions as compared to other counterparts, yet they are facing the worst career prospects instead of being given better treatment. This injustice is being faced by them despite of being the ‘backbone of the government revenue’ on account of being the major revenue collectors in the form of Central Excise duty, Customs duty & Service Tax and also GST in the forthcoming times. In actual terms, they are the ‘backbone of the government’ being responsible to earn finance for the government. This all makes their claim even stronger for better treatment. But very unfortunately, they are being totally ignored in every matter.
7. In view of above, it is requested that the officers recruited as Inspector of Central Excise may kindly be granted at least non-functional financial upgradation at par with their counterparts of CSS on batch to batch basis after entry into group ‘B’ non-gazetted or equivalent grade enabling them also to retire in PB4 like many of their counterparts.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(RAVI MALIK),
Secretary General.
Copy with the request for necessary action to:
Sh. Parkash Chand, Member, Study Group for removal of stagnation of Group B officers.
(RAVI MALIK)
