REMINDER FOR ISSUE OF ORDERS TO GRANT FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO SENIORS WHO WERE WORKING AS ASP AS ON 1-1-2006

REMINDER FOR ISSUE OF ORDERS TO GRANT FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO SENIORS WHO WERE WORKING AS ASP AS ON 1-1-2006

To

Sh. A.N.Nanda,

The Secretary (Post)

                        Department of Post

                        DakBhawan, Sansad Marg

                        New Delhi-100001

No.     CHQ/POA/1-1/2019-20                                   Dated                    2.09.2019

Sub:    Request for issue of orders to grant financial benefits on 01/01/2006 to senior IPs, ASPs and Group B officers consequent upon placing IPs & ASPs in the same scale.

Respected Sir,

            Members of the Postal Officer Association (India) have been raising their concern for not settling the issue regarding grant of financial benefit to senior ASPs w.e.f 1-1-2006 but our Directorate is silent despite several requests from the staff side.  Consequent upon court verdict various orders like (i) placing of Inspector of Posts ( IP) in the Grade Pay of Rs 4,600/- from Rs 4,200/- w.e.f.  01-01-2006 on par with next hierarchical promotional Gazetted Post i.e. Assistant Superintendent of Posts (ASP) and (ii) grand of one increment in the same scale on promotion to next hierarchical Post of ASP cadre have been issued by the department for those who joined the department just after 2006 with all consequential benefits including arrears. These beneficiaries are being allowed the provisions of MACP at the upgraded level. Whereas far-far seniors who were working as ASPs on 1-1-2006, now Postal Service Group B officer have been placed in a detrimental and disadvantageous position. It is pertinent to mention here that many of our senior members are still working at level 8 whereas the juniors have been placed at level 9 on allowing benefit of 3^rd MACP. It is a clear cut case of discrimination.

Sir, you will agree that consequent upon placing ASPs and IPs in the same GP of 4600/- corresponding to the old pay the scale of 7450-225-10500, the promotion already given to ASPs in the lower scale of 6500-200-10500 has become redundant and need to be discarded Hence, an anomaly occurred due to hierarchical problem. These orders nullified the promotion of ASPs (Gazetted). As a matter of justice, ASP should be allowed benefit of one increment as on 1-1-2006 as allowed to ASP promoted after 1-1-2006 in the same scale.

Reasons for Anomaly between IP & ASP on 1-1-2006. 

1.         Postal Directorate vide Memo No 2-12/2013-PCC dated 24.10.17 increased Grade pay of IP by Rs 400/- (from 4,200 to 4,600) from 1-1-2006.

2.         IP pay has been fixed minimum as Rs 17,140 ( Pay band Rs 12,540 + GP Rs 4,600) as on 1-1-2006 vide OM No. 8-23/2017-E.IIIA dated 28-09-2018 of Ministry of Finance  Department of Expenditure.

3.         Under the provision contained in OM No.10/02/2011-E.III/A of Ministry of Finance  Department of Expenditure dated 7-01-2013 one increment is given when IP promoted to ASP after 2006.

4.         Further, on 1-9-2008 after the introduction of MACP orders, a PA recruited after 1-9-1989 who is IP/ASP will get 4,800/-grade pay WITH INCREMENT in his 2nd MACP in just 20 years of service apparently earlier to Sr. ASP who got 4800 after 30 years.

In nutshell with all above orders/provisions some of the IP's pay either became equal or crossed the ASP after 1-1-2006 to 1-9-2008. Reason for pay Anomaly between ASP & IP is due to placing/granting of 4,600 Grade Pay to IP on and after 1-1-2006 and ignoring the fundamental right of seniors.

Further calculation reveals that IPs as on 1-1-2006 are given Rs. 400/-increase in their Grade Pay and also will get one increment when they get ASP promotion after 1-1-2006 around Rs 600/-.  But contrary to this those who were ASPs as on 1-1-2006 and their pay was fixed after 6^th pay commission was simply given multiple of 6500/- without even giving the benefit of fitment table. Now again on the promotion of these IPs to ASP will again get one increment + 4,800 GP under 2nd MACP around Rs 650 + 200 = Rs 850/-.

As explained above, after 1-1-2006 an IP by 1-9-2008 will get around Rs 400+600+850 = Rs 1,850/-.  While ASP has not given any benefit of creating an anomaly in the hierarchy.

ANOMALY is due to the WRONG decision of MoF/DoE/DoP as grade pay of ONLY IP was upgraded WITHOUT UPGRADING grade pay of ASP. Hence, Anomaly has to be set right.

.

Solution to set right Anomaly between IP and ASP

A.  Cadre of Inspector Post (Non-Gazetted) and ASP (Gazetted) have been placed in the identical GP of Rs. 4600/-. As provided in MOF OM No. 10/2/2011.E.III/A dated 7-1-2013, the fixation of pay on promotion from one post to another where promotional post carries the same GP as the feeder post, in such cases fixture of pay will be done in the manner as prescribed in Rule 13 (i) of CCS (RP) rules 2008.  Apparently, the officers who were working as ASPs as on 1-1-2006 are also eligible for the fixture of pay w.e.f 1-1-2006 in an identical scale for two different cadres after giving the benefit of increment.

B.        Since ASPs and IPs have been placed on the same scale so provision for grant of MACP or ACP will have to be redefined in view of the DoPT clarification in its OM No. 35034/1/97-Estt (D) (Vol. IV) dated 12.02.2000 ( point of doubt No. 1)  and 18.7.2001, earlier promotion given is to be IGNORED COMPLETELY & promotion earned /up-gradation granted under the ACP schemes in the past to those grades which now carry the same GP due to the merger of the scales/ up-gradation of posts recommended by the sixth pay commission shall be ignored for the purpose of up-gradation under MACPs.

 As such fixation is to be given afresh with increment on 1-9-2008 under MACP. As per VI pay Commission, change of grade pay should be accompanied by fixation only. Otherwise, Anomaly continues & hundreds of both serving & retired ASPs have to approach Court unnecessarily by spending thousands of rupees.

Association, therefore again urge your kind honour to issue orders with regard to extending benefits of Grade pay of 4800 and 5400 as on 01-01-2006 with increment in the same scale to all senior IPs/ASPs, who were promoted to ASP/PS group B cadre or had been granted 2nd financial up-gradation prior to 01/01/2006.

With profound regards

Yours Sincerely

R N Yadav

General Secretary

Postal Officer Association

Copy to:

1.    Sh. P.K.Bisoi, The Member (Personnel) Postal Services Board, Postal Directorate, New Delhi-110001

2.    The DDG (Establishment ) Dak Bhawan New Delhi-110001

3.    The ADG(PPC), Dak Bhawan New Delhi-110001